Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has revealed that late President Muhammadu Buhari died of pneumonia and not cancer, according to his newly released biography
Aisha Buhari Says Muhammadu Buhari Died of Pneumonia, Not Cancer
Former First Lady Aisha Buhari has disclosed that her late husband, former President Muhammadu Buhari, died from pneumonia, dismissing widespread speculation that he succumbed to cancer.
She made the revelation while recounting the final days of the former Nigerian leader, whose death occurred in mid-2025 at a London Clinic before his remains were returned to Nigeria for burial in Daura, Katsina State.
The disclosure is contained in a newly released biography titled “From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari,” authored by Charles Omole.
According to Mrs Buhari, the former president’s last days were physically challenging and emotionally draining.
“The final days were difficult. ICU for some days, then the ward, then the slide.
The last three days were the worst,” she said.
The former First Lady attributed Buhari’s illness to decades of harsh physical exposure during his military career, dating back to his time as a soldier during Nigeria’s civil war era.
The biography quoted her as saying, “He had been a soldier in the bush for 30 months, mostly in the South-South, soaked by rain in uniforms that dried on his body.”
She believed the prolonged exposure to cold and harsh weather conditions took a lasting toll on his health.
“Decades later, she believes, the cold had lodged in his lungs and bones — exacerbated by office air-conditioning. Pneumonia was the last adversary,” the book stated.
The biography further clarified that medical investigations ruled out cancer, contrary to public speculation.
“The sputum tests conducted on Buhari never indicated cancer.
‘It was pneumonia, they said, but at his age, pneumonia can be sovereign,’” the book quoted.
The revelations offer a rare and intimate account of the former president’s final moments, shedding new light on the health challenges he faced after decades of public service and military duty. Read More
