Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has revealed how rumours in Aso Rock affected the health of her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and contributed to the illness that kept him away from office for months in 2017.
According to her, gossip that she planned to kill her husband made Buhari suspicious and led him to start locking his room. She said the situation disrupted his feeding routine and eventually affected his health.
Mrs. Buhari explained that Buhari’s illness was not caused by poisoning or any mysterious disease. Instead, she said it began with poor nutrition and the breakdown of a feeding routine she had managed for years.
Her account is contained in a new 600-page biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by Dr Charles Omole. The book was launched at the State House on Monday.
The 22-chapter book traces Buhari’s life from his childhood in Daura, Katsina State, to his final days in a London hospital in mid-July 2025.
Mrs. Buhari said she had always supervised her husband’s meals and supplements at fixed times, a routine she believed helped him stay healthy despite a long history of poor nutrition. She noted that elderly people need regular and careful support.
According to the book, the routine continued when they moved into the Presidential Villa, and she held meetings with key aides, including the President’s doctor and security officials, to explain the feeding plan.
However, the system later collapsed due to rumours and fear. Mrs. Buhari said claims that she wanted to harm her husband made him distrustful for a period, leading to changes in his habits. Meals were delayed or missed, and supplements were stopped.
She said Buhari went for almost a year without eating lunch and that his meals were badly managed. This led to a serious decline in his health.
The situation resulted in Buhari making two long medical trips to the United Kingdom in 2017, spending a total of 154 days away. During this time, he handed over power to Vice President Yemi Osinbajo.
After returning, Buhari admitted that he had never been so ill and confirmed that he received blood transfusions. His absence sparked widespread rumours and conspiracy theories across the country.
Mrs. Buhari dismissed claims that there was a plot to poison her husband, insisting that the real cause of the crisis was the loss of his feeding routine.
In London, doctors placed Buhari on a stricter nutrition plan. At first, he was afraid and did not take the supplements properly, but Mrs. Buhari said she stepped in and ensured he took them regularly.
She described his recovery as quick, saying that within days he stopped using a walking stick and soon began receiving visitors again.
The book also addresses criticism of Buhari’s frequent medical treatment abroad. Omole wrote that, given Buhari’s age and Nigeria’s weak health system, specialised care was sometimes necessary. He added that Buhari always transferred power to his deputy during his absence, showing respect for due process.
The biography also highlights an atmosphere of mistrust in the Presidency. Mrs. Buhari alleged that the President’s office was bugged and that private conversations were monitored. She claimed that fear and pressure contributed to his death.
She also rejected rumours that Buhari had a body double, popularly called “Jibril of Sudan,” describing the claim as false and blaming poor government communication for allowing such stories to spread.
