Nigeria's former president Muhammadu Buhari was on Tuesday set to be buried in his hometown, as funeral preparations got underway under the watchful eyes of a hefty security detail.

Muhammadu Buhari, the former president of Nigeria who led the country as both a military ruler after a coup and later as the elected president, has died at the age of 82, his family said.

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who led the country twice as a military head of state and a democratic president, has died at age 82, his press secretary said Sunday.