Buhari, Diogo Jota, Chirley Kirk Lead 10 Most Searched Deaths on Google in 2025
- As 2025 draws to a close, Google’s Year in Search has revealed the names that captured global attention in life and in death
- From political leaders to sports icons, the year saw a remarkable wave of public mourning and curiosity, reflected in millions of searches worldwide
- Leading the list were figures whose lives touched millions across politics, sports, religion, and activism
Legit.ng journalist Muslim Muhammad Yusuf has over 8 years of experience in investigative reporting, human rights, politics, governance and accountability in Nigeria.
Google has released its 2025 Year in Search report for Nigeria, showing how millions of web users across the country and globally search.
The annual report’s Loss category captured a collective of names and legacies of public figures who shaped politics, sports, religion and culture.
Source: Twitter
Leading the list were Diogo Jota, Muhammadu Buhari, Charlie Kirk, Pope Francis, and Hulk Hogan, with notable figures from politics, sports, and religion.
Each year, Google publishes its Year in Search report, a data-driven snapshot of the people, events, questions and moments that dominated global curiosity.
Legit.ng has reviewed the 2025 Google Trends report and compiled a comprehensive list of the ten personalities whose deaths drew the highest search interest in Nigeria.
1. Diogo Jota
Diogo José Teixeira da Silva was a Portuguese international forward who made his name at clubs including Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool FC. He was celebrated for his speed, movement and clinical finishing.
Jota died in a road crash in north-west Spain in July 2025; he was 28. His death, which also involved his brother has sparked an outpouring of mourning on social media and in the football world.
2. Muhammadu Buhari
Buhari is a retired Major General who served as Nigeria’s head of state in the 1980s and later as democratically elected president from 2015 to 2023.
He died in London in July 2025 at age 82, after a brief illness and was buried in his hometown, Daura, Katsina state. He left a widow, Aisha Buhari, and his eldest son is Yusuf Buhari.
Nigerians mourn the ex-president's death, while some states declared holidays to honour him.
3. Charlie Kirk
U.S. conservative activist Charles Joseph is the founder of Turning Point USA and became a prominent voice in U.S. right-wing youth politics.
In September 2025, he was fatally shot while on a campus tour in Utah; reports said he was killed during a public event, and the case prompted major national news coverage and an ongoing investigation.
He was 31/32 (born 1993).
4. Pope Francis
Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis, led the Roman Catholic Church and the Vatican; his papacy was widely noted for pastoral outreach and a reformist tone on many issues.
He died at the Vatican on April 21, 2025, at the age of 88. The Vatican announced his death, and the event initiated global mourning and immediate processes within the Holy See for succession.
The late Pope Francis was replaced by Cardinal Robert Preovos, who, upon his election, took the name Pope Leo XIV.
Pope Leo XIV was elected on May 8, 2025, during a papal conclave. He is the first American-born pontiff in history.
5. Hulk Hogan
Terry Eugene Bollea, known worldwide as Hulk Hogan, was a defining figure of professional wrestling and a pop-culture personality since the 1980s.
He died in July 2025 at age 71; local reports and subsequent medical records established that he suffered a cardiac event (acute myocardial infarction), with later reporting noting he had been privately treated for chronic health issues.
His death led to broad tributes across sports and entertainment.
Source: Twitter
6. Uma Ukpai
Reverend Dr. Uma Ukpai was a prominent Nigerian evangelist, crusade organiser and humanitarian leader whose ministry influenced Pentecostal Christianity across West Africa and beyond.
He died in October 2025 at the age of 80; Nigerian media and an official family statement confirmed his passing and celebrated his decades of ministry.
7. Peter Rufai
A former Nigerian and a celebrated figure in African football history, Peter Fregene Rufai was a Super Eagles goalkeeper and a leading figure in Nigerian football in the 1990s.
He died in July 2025 in Lagos after a period of illness; he was 61. He was remembered for his role at the 1994 World Cup and for decades of service to club and country. Sports organisations and former teammates issued tributes following confirmation of his death.
8. Sanku
Raji Samad Adetola (popularly known as Mr Sanku or Sanku Comedy) was a rising Nigerian skit maker and content creator whose short comic videos had gathered a growing following online.
He died in a road crash along the Ogbomoso–Oyo Road in early September 2025; multiple media outlets reported his death, and the story circulated widely on social platforms.
He was reported to be in his mid-20s.
9. Nkechi Nweje
Nkechi was a Nollywood actress and was known for roles in the Nigerian film industry and for contributions to stage and screen.
She died after a brief illness in March 2025; her death was confirmed by colleagues and producers in the industry.
10. Doyin Okupe
Dr. Adedoyin (Doyin) Okupe was a physician, long-time political operative and former presidential aide in Nigeria; he was involved across decades in party politics and public advocacy.
He died in March 2025 after a reported long battle with cancer; He was 72 at the time of his death.
Buhari: Video shows lady crying publicly
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that amid Buhari's death, a heartbreaking video emerged showing a lady visibly distraught in front of The London Clinic, United Kingdom (UK).
In the trending footage seen by Legit.ng, a woman could be seen sobbing in front of The London Clinic while being consoled and escorted back into the facility by a man and a woman.
Source: Legit.ng
