Former presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has openly acknowledged that the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari may not have survived had he relied on Nigeria’s healthcare system during his time in office. According to Adesina, Buhari’s decision to receive ongoing medical treatment in London was a life-saving choice.
Adesina, who served as Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity throughout his two terms in office, made this revelation during a recent interview on Channels Television, as observed by Chronicles Reporters on Tuesday morning.
He noted that Buhari’s preference for medical treatment abroad wasn’t limited to his time as president. The former leader had long sought healthcare in the UK even before his presidency, and that trend continued while he was in power — not out of luxury, but necessity.
“He always had his medical care in London even before he became president. It wasn’t a matter of status or convenience. It was something he had always done,” Adesina stated.
Defending Buhari’s repeated medical trips overseas, Adesina explained that the decision was not a snub to local hospitals but a practical move to ensure his survival. He insisted that the country lacked the medical specialists required to handle Buhari’s health condition at the time.
“You have to be alive first before you can fix anything in your country,” he argued. “If he had insisted on receiving medical attention in Nigeria just to prove a point, he might not have survived. The expertise he needed simply wasn’t available locally.”
Adesina also criticized those who attacked Buhari over his medical trips, describing such criticism as uninformed. “People say these things without realizing that staying alive had to come first,” he said. “He had to live to be able to build the country to a stage where such medical expertise could become available.”
Meanwhile, Buhari’s remains were flown out of London early Tuesday morning and have arrived in Nigeria for burial. The body of the former president is expected to be laid to rest in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, later in the day.
The remains were transported aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft, accompanied by high-ranking government officials, including Vice President Kashim Shettima and the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila.
This development was confirmed by Bashir Ahmad, one of Buhari’s former aides, who shared updates on X (formerly known as Twitter). According to him, the body arrived in Katsina at noon, and the funeral rites were scheduled for 2:00 PM in Daura.
Buhari passed away on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at approximately 4:30 PM in a hospital in London, following a long illness. While details of the illness were not disclosed to the public, the presidency and family opted for privacy regarding the cause of death.
In recognition of the former leader’s passing, the Federal Government declared Tuesday, July 15, 2025, a public holiday. The day was set aside to allow Nigerians and political leaders to pay their final respects during the state burial.
Buhari, known for his firm leadership style and strong posture, had previously ruled the country as a military head of state from January 1984 to August 1985 before returning as a democratically elected president in 2015.
Earlier reports indicated that the late president’s body was initially expected to arrive in Nigeria on Monday, but logistics challenges led to a delay in the burial schedule. Ahmad clarified the change on Monday via his social media account, providing the updated itinerary for the funeral procession.
“The body of the late President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to arrive in Katsina at 12:00 noon tomorrow (Tuesday), with funeral according to Islamic rites scheduled to take place in his hometown of Daura by 2:00 PM on the same day,” Ahmad posted.
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