By Ademola Adekusibe
16th December 2025
Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has disclosed that her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, once began locking his room after rumours circulated within the Presidential Villa that she intended to harm him, adding that the claims briefly affected his trust and disrupted his health routine.
Aisha Buhari made the disclosure in a newly released biography titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr Charles Omole and launched on Monday at the State House in Abuja. According to the book, the former First Lady said Buhari’s prolonged illness in 2017 was not the result of poisoning or any mysterious condition but was caused by a breakdown in his long-established nutrition and feeding routine.
She explained that for years she personally managed Buhari’s meals and supplements at fixed times, a practice she said helped him manage long-standing nutritional challenges. However, after rumours and fear-mongering within the Villa, Buhari reportedly began isolating himself, meals were delayed or skipped, and supplements were discontinued. She stated that for nearly a year, the former president often missed lunch, contributing to his health decline.
The disruption, the book notes, led to Buhari’s two extended medical stays in the United Kingdom in 2017, lasting a combined 154 days, during which he transferred power to then Vice President Yemi Osinbajo. Buhari later acknowledged that it was the most serious illness he had experienced and confirmed receiving blood transfusions during treatment.
The biography also documents how doctors in London placed Buhari on a stricter nutritional regimen, with Aisha Buhari resuming direct oversight of his care. According to her account, his recovery was rapid once the routine was restored. The book further addresses rumours surrounding Buhari’s health and leadership, dismissing claims of poisoning and the existence of a body double, while highlighting challenges of misinformation and mistrust during his presidency.
