By Al-Mustapha A. Mustapha
Former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, has disclosed that he and late President Muhammadu Buhari were admitted in the same hospital in London shortly before Buhari passed away.
Abdulsalami spoke during an interview on Channels Television, saying he had only just been discharged when the news of Buhari’s death reached him.
“We were actually in the same hospital,” he said. “I had been discharged, and not long after, I heard the sad news. I went over to condole with the family and help with arrangements to prepare his body for the journey back home.”
He said his relationship with Buhari began in 1962 when they both joined the Nigerian Army, adding that their paths continued to cross during the civil war, where they served in the same sector.
“He was my senior, and we both fought in the same area during the civil war,” he explained.
He described Buhari as a reserved and principled leader who remained consistent throughout his life.
“He was a gentleman, very quiet and brutally honest,” he said. “You could trust him with anything and be certain he would never betray you.”
Speaking on Buhari’s years in office, Abdulsalami noted that the former president made a genuine push to fight corruption, even though not all his appointees lived up to expectations.
“He did his best to tackle corruption during his time as a democratic president,” he said. “Sadly, some of those around him fell short and didn’t deliver as hoped.”
He added that Buhari’s death was a heavy loss not just for Nigeria but for the wider West African region.
“With Buhari gone, Nigerian politics may take a new turn. I only hope it changes for the better,” he added.
