Aisha Buhari Mentions Cause of Ex-President Buhari’s Death in New Book: "The Doctors Told Us"
- Aisha Buhari disclosed new details about the final moments of late President Muhammadu Buhari while dismissing widespread conspiracy theories
- She said medical experts clearly briefed the family and criticised rumours as harmful misinformation
- She linked Buhari’s earlier health challenges to exhaustion and dietary imbalance while reflecting on governance issues and life after the presidency
FCT, Abuja - Former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, has disclosed that pneumonia was the immediate cause of the death of late President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was she dismissed widespread rumours of poisoning and other conspiracy theories.
Source: Twitter
She made the clarification in a newly released book titled From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari.
In the new book, she offered a personal account of the former President’s final days and addressed long-standing speculations surrounding his health.
Buhari: Pneumonia identified as cause of death
In the book, Aisha Buhari stated that medical professionals who treated her husband clearly informed the family that pneumonia led to his death.
According to her, claims suggesting poisoning, air-conditioning sabotage or a covert plot were false and misleading.
“The doctors told us plainly what happened. Pneumonia was the cause. There was no poison, no sabotage and no hidden agenda,” she said.
She described such rumours as fear-mongering narratives that distracted from basic health realities and contributed to public misunderstanding, Leadership reported.
Rumours dismissed as harmful speculation
The former First Lady noted that media reports at the time of Buhari’s death varied, with some describing a prolonged illness, others a brief one, and a few mentioning leukaemia.
However, she stressed that the family relied on direct explanations from medical experts rather than public speculation.
“There was no attempt to resolve competing reports. We trusted what the doctors told us,” her account stated.
She added that similar misinformation had trailed Buhari’s health challenges during his 2017 medical trip abroad.
2017 illness linked to exhaustion, not poisoning
Addressing speculation surrounding Buhari’s earlier illness, Aisha Buhari said it was caused by exhaustion, age and the breakdown of a carefully supervised diet and rest routine.
Source: Facebook
“In her account, not poison, not an arcane ailment, but exhaustion and nutritional imbalance were responsible for the health crisis,” the book noted.
She explained that once a strict schedule and proper nutritional supplementation were restored, Buhari’s health improved significantly.
Beyond health matters, the book also reflects on governance challenges during Buhari’s presidency, particularly issues of gatekeeping and restricted access to the President.
Aisha Buhari said excessive control around the President often delayed decisions and weakened accountability, Daily Trust reported.
“My role was never interference. It was oversight, raising concerns, flagging bottlenecks and advocating transparency," she said.
She maintained that she never signed official documents or awarded contracts during her husband’s tenure.
DSS controversy and constitutional order
The former First Lady also revisited the 2018 removal of then Director-General of the Department of State Services, Lawal Daura.
She recalled that the decision followed the blockade of the National Assembly by masked operatives, describing the action as a violation of constitutional norms.
“I supported the decision to sack him to prevent chaos. The President did not oppose it,” she said.
Reflecting on life after her husband’s presidency, Aisha Buhari said she has chosen a quieter path centred on family and humanitarian service.
She revealed that her foundation has established a cardiovascular and medical centre in Kano, which has carried out more than 200 medical procedures.
“This is our response to the realities of healthcare challenges in Nigeria,” she said.
On questions about remarriage, she dismissed the idea, saying it reflected deeper issues of trust, responsibility and the weight of public life.
Analyst speak on new book about Buhari
Speaking with Legit.ng on Sunday, December 21, Hamma Hayatu, said:
"Apparently this book seems not to eulogies Buhari expose him to ridicule especially with most of the written actors not alive to debunk them. I expect all Buhari lovers to condemn the book and its writer."
Aisha: "Buhari believed I planned to kill him"
Legit.ng earlier reported that Buhari's wife, Aisha, disclosed that her husband once believed in the Aso Rock gossip that she was planning to kill him.
The former first lady also disclosed how the late president began to treat her at the Presidential Villa amid the rumours.
Aisha Buhari made this disclosure in a new 600-page biography of the late president, which was unveiled at the State House in Abuja on Monday, December 15, 2025.
Source: Legit.ng
