Buhari Would Be Long Dead If He Used Nigerian Hospitals

Buhari Would Be long Dead If He Used Nigerian Hospitals – Femi Adesina
Justifies foreign medical trips, says ‘you must be alive to fix things’
Buhari’s remains flown to Daura for state burial

By Grateful Ogunjebe

Contents

EDITOR’S PICK
FURTHER READING

Former presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina, has stirred public debate after admitting that late President Muhammadu Buhari would likely have died if he had relied on Nigerian hospitals during his lifetime.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Adesina made this revelation during an interview on Channels Television, monitored Tuesday morning. He said Buhari’s continued survival was due to his consistent medical treatment in London, a decision he insisted was not optional but critical.

EDITOR’S PICK

According to Adesina, the Nigerian healthcare system lacked the necessary expertise to handle Buhari’s medical condition, which is why he avoided treatment locally even as President.

“He always had his medical in London, even when he was not in office. So, it was not about the time he was President alone,” Adesina said.

Adesina defended the decision, arguing that Buhari needed to stay alive in order to attempt reforms in the health sector.

“And then you have to be alive first, to get certain things corrected in your country,” he added. “If he had said, ‘I would do my medicals in Nigeria just as a show-off,’ he could have long been dead.”

He stressed that those criticising Buhari’s overseas medical trips failed to understand the gravity of his condition and the limitations of Nigeria’s health system.

The former president died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at about 4:30 p.m. in a London hospital, after a prolonged undisclosed illness. His body was flown to Nigeria Tuesday morning aboard a Nigerian Air Force aircraft for burial in his hometown, Daura.

Vice President Kashim Shettima, Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila, and other top government officials accompanied the remains.

Bashir Ahmad, Buhari’s former aide, confirmed on X (formerly Twitter) that the funeral will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 15, 2025.

In honour of the former leader, the Federal Government declared Tuesday a public holiday for the state burial rites taking place in Daura, Katsina State.

Buhari Would Be long Dead If He Used Nigerian Hospitals - Femi Adesina

Buhari, who previously ruled Nigeria as a military Head of State between 1984 and 1985, served two terms as a democratically elected President from 2015 to 2023.

He was known for his anti-corruption stance, military background, and unwavering loyalty to his home community of Daura in the North-West region.

Earlier arrangements to return Buhari’s body on Monday were shifted, leading to a Tuesday noon arrival in Katsina and an immediate funeral according to Islamic rites.

Keyword Tags: Buhari death, Femi Adesina, Nigerian hospitals, Buhari medical trips, Buhari burial, Daura funeral, Katsina news, Nigerian healthcare, Eko Hot Blog