Breaking: Former President Muhammadu Buhari Reported Dead in London — What We Know

Muhammadu Buhari, the former Nigerian president who twice led Africa’s most populous country — first as a military ruler in the 1980s and later as a democratically elected leader — has died at the age of 82 while receiving medical treatment in London, according to the Associated Press.

Though long plagued by speculation over his health, Buhari’s death—confirmed by AP but not yet by his family or the Nigerian government—marks a decisive moment in the nation’s political history. Revered by some for his austere image and anti-corruption rhetoric, and reviled by others for economic mismanagement and authoritarian tendencies, Buhari leaves behind a complicated legacy that mirrors the turbulence of modern Nigeria.

A Life Lived Under Scrutiny

Buhari’s second rise to power in 2015 — defeating incumbent Goodluck Jonathan in a historic election — was seen as a rare democratic turning point for Nigeria. But from the early months of his presidency, questions about his health overshadowed his administration. The former general spent months abroad receiving undisclosed treatment in the U.K., prompting widespread rumours that ranged from the outlandish (that he had died and been replaced by a Sudanese body double) to the politically damaging (that he was unfit to govern).

In December 2018, he publicly dismissed these claims. “It’s the real me,” he said during a trip to Poland. But the rumours, fuelled by the government’s lack of transparency, never fully died down.

Yesterday, Sahara Reporters — an outlet known for its scoops and its volatility — reported that Buhari was critically ill in intensive care in London, alongside another former Nigerian leader, General Abdulsalami Abubakar. A spokesman for Buhari’s office promptly countered the report, insisting he was “stable and responding well to treatment.”

Today’s AP confirmation now casts a definitive shadow over those conflicting accounts.

A Final Chapter in London

That Buhari’s final days played out in London underscores one of the most uncomfortable truths of his presidency: despite promises to overhaul Nigeria’s healthcare system, he repeatedly sought treatment abroad. His death in a foreign hospital is a stark reminder of the failures of a domestic system he once pledged to reform.

The circumstances echo his earlier periods of medical absence — particularly in 2017 and 2018 — when he disappeared from public view for weeks on end, fuelling power struggles and conspiracy theories at home. Those episodes also spotlighted a broader challenge in Nigerian politics: the opacity surrounding the health of public officials, and the lack of institutional mechanisms to manage leadership transitions in the face of prolonged illness.

A Divisive Legacy

Buhari’s death brings closure to a political arc that shaped Nigeria’s post-colonial history. As military ruler from 1983 to 1985, he was known for harsh discipline and human rights abuses, including the infamous Decree 4, which criminalized press criticism of the government. Yet it was his 2015 comeback, riding a wave of populist anger over corruption and insecurity, that redefined his public image.

His administration embarked on anti-graft campaigns, implemented Treasury Single Account reforms, and launched ambitious infrastructure projects. But critics point to economic stagnation, record unemployment, deepening insecurity from jihadist groups and bandits, and a devastating currency crisis as markers of failure.

What Comes Next

As Nigeria grapples with the news, several key questions remain unanswered:

• Formal confirmation and funeral arrangements: The Presidency and Buhari’s family have yet to issue a statement. A state funeral is likely but unconfirmed.

• Political recalibration: Though Buhari left office in 2023, his influence still looms large over the All Progressives Congress (APC). His death may spark new power realignments within the party.

• Healthcare policy debate: His death abroad could reignite calls for transparency and investment in Nigeria’s public health infrastructure.

Buhari’s passing comes at a time when many Nigerians are still reeling from economic hardship and feeling betrayed by the very reforms he once promised. That his final days were clouded by uncertainty — conflicting media reports, unverified claims, and a lack of official disclosure — is telling. In a nation hungry for clarity and accountability, even death offers no escape from political opacity.

For now, Buhari’s death — still awaiting full formal confirmation — marks the quiet end of one of Nigeria’s most consequential political lives. Whether history remembers him as a reformer, an authoritarian, or something more complex will depend not just on today’s headlines but on the reckoning still to come.

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