Nigerian ex-president Buhari dies at 82 in London
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Nigerians gather outside the presidency in Abuja as tributes pour in for Muhammadu Buhari following his death at 82.
Nigerian ex-president Buhari dies at 82 in London
Muhammadu Buhari, Nigeria’s former president and military ruler, has died at the age of 82 while receiving medical treatment in London, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Buhari led Africa’s most populous nation through two distinct eras — first as a military dictator in the 1980s, then as a democratically elected leader from 2015 to 2023. His political life was marked by ambitious promises, a controversial legacy, and deep national divisions.
From Military Rule to Elected Office
Buhari first rose to power in 1983 following a military coup, leading a strict regime that lasted less than two years before he was overthrown. His rule was known for harsh crackdowns, public discipline campaigns, and swift punishments — including the execution of drug offenders and forced deportation of undocumented immigrants.
Despite his authoritarian beginnings, Buhari rebranded himself as a democrat in the early 2000s. After three failed presidential bids, he won the 2015 election, becoming the first opposition candidate in Nigerian history to defeat a sitting president.
Promises and Problems
Buhari’s 2015 victory came on the back of promises to end corruption, restore security, and revive the economy. Many Nigerians believed he could defeat Boko Haram, the jihadist group that had terrorised the northeast since 2009, and clean up public institutions riddled with graft.
Though he scored a symbolic win with the negotiated release of some Chibok schoolgirls, Boko Haram’s threat persisted. Suicide bombings and mass abductions continued. In 2016, Buhari declared the group “crushed,” but deadly attacks and military missteps, such as the bombing of a displaced persons camp that killed over 100 people, undermined that claim.
Corruption, too, remained a festering issue. While Buhari repatriated stolen assets and launched anti-graft investigations, critics said his fight was selective, targeting political opponents more than allies.
A Divided Nation and a Faltering Economy
By the end of Buhari’s tenure in 2023, Nigeria’s economic woes had deepened. A global slump in oil prices and militant attacks in the oil-rich Niger Delta pushed the country into recession. Inflation soared, the naira weakened, and foreign currency shortages crippled trade and investment.
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Many Nigerians, especially young people, became disillusioned with his administration. His decision to restrict social media access after widespread anti-police brutality protests drew international criticism. The deaths of demonstrators during the #EndSARS movement further stained his record.
Buhari’s frequent medical trips abroad, including his final stay in London, raised eyebrows and drew anger. Critics questioned why the president received top-tier care while local hospitals were underfunded and overwhelmed.
“I need a longer time to rest,” Buhari once admitted during a particularly extended medical absence, a statement that did little to reassure a restless nation.
Legacy of Discipline and Disappointment
As military ruler, Buhari’s “War Against Indiscipline” was notorious. Civil servants arriving late were made to squat or perform drills. Soldiers enforced traffic laws with whips. Though such measures gained some public support, human rights abuses were common. Journalists were jailed, and laws were passed that allowed indefinite detention without trial.
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Decades later, many of those tendencies re-emerged during his civilian presidency. Though he pledged to embrace democracy, authoritarian undertones remained.
While some hail Buhari as a patriot and reformer, others remember him as a leader who failed to unify a deeply divided country — split between a mostly Muslim north and Christian south — and who fell short of the promises that first swept him to power.
President Bola Tinubu, in a statement on Sunday, called Buhari “a patriot, a soldier, a statesman … to the very core.” He dispatched Nigeria’s vice president to escort Buhari’s body home from the UK.
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