Human rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has harshly criticised the legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari, describing him as a ruthless and authoritarian leader who showed no regard for justice, human life, or democratic principles.
Taking to his verified X account (formerly Twitter), Sowore denounced ongoing efforts to romanticise Buhari’s time in office following his death. He urged Nigerians to remember the late president not with sympathy but with a clear focus on those who suffered under his administration.
Sowore, who also leads the #RevolutionNow movement, recounted how Buhari’s government allegedly sanctioned brutal crackdowns on peaceful protesters, members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (Shiites), and residents of the South-East, many of whom were accused of being part of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
“Buhari ordered the slaughter of hundreds of Shiites — men, women, and even children,” Sowore wrote. “He sent the army to fire live bullets at peaceful #EndSARS protesters who waved the Nigerian flag in hope. He made Dadiyata disappear. He approved the killing of young people in the South-East under the guise of fighting IPOB.”
Sowore, who faced multiple arrests and detentions during Buhari’s rule, further condemned the ex-president for what he described as widespread lawlessness and economic destruction.
“He flouted court orders, jailed dissenters, collapsed the economy, and brought ruin to every sector,” Sowore asserted.
He expressed deep concern over the public mourning Buhari’s passing has triggered, describing it as both hypocritical and unjust.
“Now, just because he’s dead, some people with selective amnesia want us to mourn him or place him on a pedestal? That’s disgraceful,” Sowore said.
In a final statement, he firmly rejected any attempt to revise history in Buhari’s favour. “We don’t mourn tyrants. We remember the lives they destroyed. Buhari had no soul!” he wrote emphatically.
In an earlier post, Sowore did not hold back in his assessment of Buhari’s presidency, calling it “a complete waste of space.”
“Eight years filled with disastrous policies, rising poverty, manipulated insecurity, and an empty leadership style. He promised change but delivered total chaos,” he declared.
Sowore’s criticisms have amplified the existing national debate around Buhari’s legacy. While some Nigerians — particularly members of his political circle — have highlighted his efforts to combat corruption and improve infrastructure, others continue to point to recurring patterns of repression and abuse throughout his time in office.
Chronicles Reporters had previously reported that Buhari passed away in London on Sunday, succumbing to leukaemia — a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, responsible for producing blood cells.
Sources familiar with the former president’s health condition confirmed the diagnosis, revealing that Buhari had been battling the illness in the final stretch of his life.
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