Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has clarified that her late husband, ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, died from pneumonia, dismissing rumors of cancer. The revelation is contained in a new biography, “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari.” The former leader died in mid-2025 at a London clinic and was buried in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State.
Recounting his final days, Mrs. Buhari described a harrowing decline. She stated, “The final days were difficult. ICU for some days, then the ward, then the slide. The last three days were the worst.” She attributed his condition to physical hardships endured during his military career, which she believes left a lasting impact on his health.
The book details her belief that decades of exposure, from rainy conditions in the bush to constant air conditioning, weakened him. “Decades later, she believes, the cold had lodged in his lungs and bones… Pneumonia was the last adversary,” it quotes. Medical tests reportedly never indicated cancer, with the biography noting, “It was pneumonia, they said, but at his age, pneumonia can be sovereign.”