Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has revealed that he and the late President Muhammadu Buhari were receiving medical treatment at the same hospital in London prior to Buhari’s passing.
While Abdulsalami has since been discharged, Buhari died on Sunday, July 13, 2025. Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Monday, the retired general described the former president’s death as “a big blow to Nigeria.”
“Unfortunately, we were in the same hospital together, but I had been discharged. When I heard of his passing, I rushed to console his family and assist in making arrangements for his remains to be brought back home,” he recounted.
Abdulsalami, who transferred power to a civilian government in 1999, praised Buhari’s character, recalling their longstanding relationship which dates back to their early days in the military.
“My relationship with General Buhari began in 1962. He was my senior in the army, and during the civil war, we operated in the same sector. He was a true gentleman very quiet, exceptionally honest. You could entrust him with anything and he would never betray you,” he said.
Reflecting on Buhari’s passing, Abdulsalami remarked that “politics in Nigeria will certainly take a new turn.”
In the wake of Buhari’s death, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu declared national mourning, ordering flags to fly at half-mast across the country. The President also directed Vice President Kashim Shettima to travel to the United Kingdom to accompany the late leader’s remains back to Nigeria.
Confirming Buhari’s death, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, said the former president died in London at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Sunday after a prolonged illness.
President Tinubu also extended his condolences to the late President’s widow, Mrs. Aisha Buhari.
Buhari, a former military ruler from January 1984 to August 1985, returned to power as a democratically elected President in 2015 and was re-elected in 2023.
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