Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has revealed that her late husband, President Muhammadu Buhari, briefly believed damaging rumors within the Presidential Villa alleging that she planned to poison him. The disclosure is contained in a newly released biography that sheds fresh light on the former Nigerian leader’s health struggles, internal palace mistrust, and final years.
The revelation appears in From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, a 600-page biography authored by Dr. Charles Omole and unveiled at the State House on Monday. The book provides detailed personal accounts from Mrs. Buhari, offering a rare glimpse into the private challenges faced by the former president during his time in office.
According to the biography, Aisha Buhari explained that President Buhari’s prolonged health crisis in 2017, which led to a 154-day medical leave in the United Kingdom was not the result of poisoning or a mysterious illness, as widely speculated at the time. Instead, she attributed his condition to disrupted nutrition, missed meals, and the suspension of vital supplements.
Mrs. Buhari disclosed that she had personally overseen her husband’s diet and supplements for years, carefully designing his nutrition plan to support his health. However, she said harmful gossip within the villa created fear and suspicion that temporarily affected Buhari’s trust and routines.
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The book quotes Mrs. Buhari as saying that the rumors caused her husband to believe, for about a week, that his life was in danger. During that period, Buhari reportedly locked his room, altered his daily habits, and stopped eating properly, leading to delayed or missed meals and discontinued supplements.
She further revealed that due to poor meal coordination, Buhari went nearly a year without eating lunch regularly, a situation that significantly affected his health. According to her account, once his nutrition and supplements were properly restored during his medical treatment in London, his recovery was rapid.
Mrs. Buhari noted that Buhari abandoned his walking stick just three days after resuming adequate supplementation, underscoring the impact of nutrition on his recovery.
Beyond health issues, the biography also explores internal distrust within the Presidential Villa, including allegations of surveillance and conspiracy theories such as the widely discredited “Jibril of Sudan” body-double claim that circulated during Buhari’s presidency.
Structured into 22 chapters, From Soldier to Statesman traces Muhammadu Buhari’s life journey from his childhood in Daura, Katsina State, through his military and political career, to his death in a London hospital in July 2025 at the age of 82.
The book offers a comprehensive and intimate portrait of Buhari’s legacy, blending political history with personal revelations that continue to shape public discourse around his leadership and private life.
