By Kamal Yalwa: LONDON | July 15, 2025
Former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has said that many officials who served under the late President Muhammadu Buhari failed to meet his expectations—despite Buhari’s steadfast commitment to discipline and anti-corruption during his time in office.
Speaking in London following Buhari’s death on Sunday, Abdulsalami described the late president as a sincere, incorruptible, and principled leader whose legacy will remain indelible in Nigeria’s political history.
“We were in the same hospital,” Abdulsalami disclosed. “Unfortunately, I had just been discharged when I heard the news of his death. I quickly returned to see the family and support efforts to prepare his body for the journey home.”
President Buhari, 82, died in a London clinic after a brief illness. His remains are expected to be flown back to Nigeria and buried with full national honours in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
Abdulsalami, who oversaw Nigeria’s transition from military to civilian rule in 1999, said his bond with Buhari dated back to their early days in the military.
“My relationship with General Buhari dates as far back as 1962,” he said. “We joined the army at the same time. He was my senior, and we both served in the same sector during the civil war.”
Describing Buhari as “quiet, deeply principled, and trustworthy,” Abdulsalami noted his longstanding reputation for integrity.
“You could trust Buhari with anything, and he would not betray you,” he said. “As a military ruler, he launched the War Against Indiscipline, and Nigerians became more respectful and orderly during that time.”
Reflecting on Buhari’s return to power in 2015 as a democratically elected president, Abdulsalami acknowledged the late leader’s consistent stance against corruption, but lamented the failure of many in his administration.
“During his democratic tenure, he tried his best to fight corruption again,” he said. “Unfortunately, most of the officers who served with him were found wanting. They didn’t do as much as he expected of them.”
Abdulsalami described Buhari’s passing as a “big blow to Nigeria,” noting that President Bola Tinubu had dispatched Vice-President Kashim Shettima to accompany the late president’s remains back home—“a sign of how deeply the nation feels this loss.”
“Despite his quiet nature, Buhari was strong in character and consistent in principle,” he said. “We have lost a patriot who tried to make Nigeria better. His death is not just a loss to his family, but to the entire nation.”
The federal government has declared Tuesday, July 15, a public holiday to honour the late president, alongside a seven-day national mourning period during which flags are flying at half-mast. Funeral arrangements are being finalized in consultation with Buhari’s family.
