A former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.), has revealed that he was admitted to the same hospital in London as former President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recall the former Nigerian leader died on Sunday at the age of 82.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television on Monday, Abdulsalami said he had only just been discharged from the hospital when he received the news of Buhari’s passing.
He said, “Unfortunately, we were in the same hospital together. But I have been discharged.
“So, when I heard the news of his passing away, I quickly went there to condole the family and see what could be done in order to get the corpse ready to be taken home.”
Reflecting on their relationship, Abdulsalami said his bond with Buhari dated back over six decades to their time in the Nigerian military.
“He was my senior, and during the unfortunate civil war, we were fighting in the same sector with him,” he said.
He described the late President as “a gentleman who was very quiet and exceptionally honest.”
“You can trust Buhari with anything on this earth and he will not betray you,” Abdulsalami added.
On Buhari’s leadership, he commended his commitment to the anti-corruption fight but acknowledged that not all members of his administration lived up to expectations.
“When he became a democratic president, he tried his best to fight corruption. Unfortunately, some of the officers who served with him are found wanting. They didn’t do as much as was expected from them,” he said.
Abdulsalami noted that Buhari’s death is a major loss not only to Nigeria but to the entire West African region.
He also praised President Bola Tinubu’s swift response in dispatching Vice President Kashim Shettima and Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila to oversee the return of Buhari’s remains to Nigeria.
“That shows the magnitude of what has befallen Nigeria.
“With the passing away of Buhari, politics in Nigeria will certainly change — I hope for the better,” he said.
