Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, on Sunday, mourned the death of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing his passage as a loss to Nigeria.

Obasanjo, in a statement on Sunday in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital stated that the late former President was a colleague, comrade and a co-patriot, who as a soldier played his role very well.

Former President Obasanjo, in the statement made available to journalists by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi, said he received the news of the passage of the immediate past President "with a heavy heart".

He stressed that his demise occurred at a time when the country needed the totality of the experience and expertise of her past leaders to navigate the present situation.

"It is with a heavy heart that I received this afternoon, the passing unto glory of a colleague, a comrade, co-patriot, General Muhammadu Buhari, who, as a soldier he played his role as soldier; as an administrator, he played his role as an administrator; as a statesman, he played his role as a statesman.

"It is a loss to the nation because at a time like this, we need the totality of the experience, expertise and what I may call statemanship of all those who have had the opportunities to run the affairs of this country in the past to get us out of the situation we are in.

"All I can say is that may God forgive him all his inadequacies and accept him into His kingdom. He will be sorely missed and may his soul rest in perfect peace," Obasanjo said.