Abdulsalami Abubakar, former military head of state, says he was in the same hospital with Muhammadu Buhari in London before his death.
Buhari passed away on Sunday at the age of 82.
Speaking in an interview with Channels Television, Abdulsalami said he had just been discharged when he received the news of Buhari’s demise.
“Unfortunately, we were in the same hospital together. But I have been discharged,” he said.
“So, when I heard the news of his passing away, I quickly went there to condole the family and see what could be done in order to get the corpse ready to be taken home.”
Reflecting on their decades-long relationship, Abdulsalami said his bond with Buhari dated back to 1962 when they both joined the Nigerian military.
“He was my senior; and during the unfortunate civil war, we were fighting in the same sector with him,” Abdulsalami said.
He described the late president as “a gentleman who was very quiet and exceptionally honest”.
“You can trust Buhari with anything on this earth and he will not betray you,” he added.
On Buhari’s record in office, Abdulsalami commended his anti-corruption stance but acknowledged that some officials in his administration fell short of expectations.
“When he became a democratic president, he tried his best to fight corruption. Unfortunately, some of the officers who served with him are found wanting. They didn’t do as much as was expected from them,” he said.
Abdulsalami said Buhari’s death is a “big blow” to Nigeria and the sub-region.
He said President Bola Tinubu’s decision to send his vice, Kashim Shettima, and Femi Gbajabiamila, his chief of staff, to the UK to oversee the return of Buhari’s remains “shows the magnitude of what has befallen Nigeria”.
“With the passing away of Buhari, politics in Nigeria will certainly change — I hope for the better,” he added.
