EXCLUSIVE: Ex-President Muhammadu Buhari Dies Of Leukaemia At 82

 Further details regarding funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.

Former President Muhammadu Buhari died of leukaemia, SaharaReporters has exclusively learnt.

 

Further

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Sunday evening announced that Buhari died at about 4:30 p.m. in London, United Kingdom, following a prolonged illness.

 

According to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, Tinubu has since spoken with the former First Lady, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, to express his condolences over the loss.

 

In response to the development, the President directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to the UK immediately to accompany Buhari’s body back to Nigeria.

As a mark of respect for the late former President, President Tinubu has also ordered all national flags to be flown at half-mast.

 

Meanwhile, sources privy to Buhari's health condition told SaharaReporters that the former President died of leukaemia – a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy tissue inside bones where blood cells are produced.

 

“Buhari died of leukaemia,” one of the sources said.

 

Muhammadu Buhari, who served as Nigeria’s Head of State from January 1984 to August 1985, returned to power in a democratic capacity after winning the presidential elections in 2015 and securing re-election in 2019.

 

Further details regarding funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.

 

Earlier on Sunday, the former President’s aide, Garba Shehu, announced the passing of his principal, saying the former leader died in London, UK.

 

“The family of the former president has announced the passing on of the former president, Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR, this afternoon in a clinic in London,” he said.

 

“May Allah accept him in Aljannatul Firdaus, Amin.”

 

Shehu previously confirmed that the ex-Nigerian leader was ill and receiving treatment in the United Kingdom.

 

On Saturday, SaharaReporters reported that Buhari and a former Nigerian Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar, were still hospitalised and in life-threatening, critical conditions in London.

 

SaharaReporters learnt further from a Presidency source that the two former leaders "are dying and dealing with undisclosed illnesses" also worsened by their old age.

 

"The former Head of State, Abdulsalami, has been hospitalised in the UK for over five months now," the source said.

 

"On the other hand, Buhari has been in and out of the Intensive Care Unit of UK hospitals in recent week," he added.

 

SaharaReporters on Friday reported that President Bola Tinubu recently dispatched Vice President Shettima, to visit the ailing leaders and seek to support their treatments.

 

Buhari, who led Africa’s most populous country from 2015 to 2023 as a democratic leader, had been in the UK for months.

 

Buhari expressed regret over his inability to attend the 50th anniversary celebration of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) held in Lagos on May 28.

 

In a statement, he explained that medical assessments in the UK required his attention.

 

“Regrettably,… I am currently in the United Kingdom undergoing routine medical check-ups and therefore unable to attend this historic event,” Buhari stated then.

 

Buhari’s Foreign Medical Trips As President

During his eight-year tenure as Nigeria’s president, Muhammadu Buhari became widely known for his frequent foreign medical trips, particularly to the United Kingdom. These trips, often shrouded in secrecy, sparked national debate and criticism, especially given Buhari’s earlier campaign promises to end medical tourism and improve Nigeria’s healthcare system.

 

Buhari’s first known medical trip occurred in February 2016, less than a year into his presidency. Officially described as a short vacation, it was later revealed that he had also sought medical attention during his stay in London.

 

Just a few months later, in June 2016, he returned to the UK for treatment of an ear infection. This trip drew criticism from the Nigerian Medical Association, which pointed out that Nigeria had qualified specialists capable of handling such a condition.

 

The most significant and controversial of Buhari’s medical absences began in January 2017, when he left Nigeria for what was described as a “medical vacation.” He remained in London for 50 days, returning in March.

 

Barely two months later, in May 2017, he departed again for further treatment and stayed abroad for an unprecedented 104 days.

 

The nature of his illness was never officially disclosed, fueling speculation and concern about the president’s capacity to govern. During this period, then-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo served as acting president.

 

In 2018, Buhari made another brief medical trip to London in May, reportedly for a follow-up consultation. After a relatively quiet period, he resumed his medical visits in 2021, travelling to the UK in March for a routine check-up.

 

This trip coincided with a strike by Nigerian doctors, highlighting the irony of the president seeking care abroad while the domestic healthcare system was in crisis. He returned to London again in June and July of that year for further treatment.

 

In 2022, Buhari made at least two more medical trips to the UK, one in March and another in October. These visits were described as routine medical check-ups.

 

His final known medical trip as president occurred in May 2023, shortly after attending the coronation of King Charles III. He reportedly extended his stay in London to undergo a dental procedure.

 

In total, Buhari is believed to have spent over 230 days abroad for medical reasons during his presidency.

 

The financial cost of these trips, particularly the operation and maintenance of the presidential jet, was estimated by some media outlets to range between ₦1.1 billion and ₦5.4 billion.

 

These figures do not include the cost of medical care, accommodation, or the accompanying delegation.

 

The president’s reliance on foreign healthcare drew sharp criticism from civil society groups, medical professionals, and political opponents. Many viewed it as a betrayal of his campaign promises and a stark symbol of the government’s neglect of Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure.

 

Dr. Osahon Enabulele, then president of the World Medical Association, described the situation as a “national shame,” while opposition figures like human rights activist Omoyele Sowore lambasted Buhari for failing to build a single world-class hospital in Nigeria throughout his tenure.

 

Despite the backlash, Buhari remained largely unapologetic about his medical travels, often citing the need for continuity in treatment and the importance of trust in his long-time UK-based doctors.

 

His administration offered little transparency about the specifics of his health, reinforcing a culture of secrecy around the medical conditions of Nigerian leaders.