Abuja, July 22, 2025 — Garba Shehu, a former media aide to the late President Muhammadu Buhari, has dismissed claims made by his ex-colleague, Femi Adesina, that Buhari would have died if he had relied on Nigerian hospitals.
Shehu made the clarification during an interview on Channels Television’s “Inside Sources”, responding to Adesina’s recent remarks that suggested Nigeria’s healthcare system lacked the capacity to handle the former President’s medical needs.
“It is wrong to assume that he fenced himself off from the Nigerian medical system,” Shehu said.
According to Shehu, Buhari’s medical care was supervised by Nigerian professionals, including a chief personal physician and consultants from the State House Clinic.
Foreign Treatment Was a Matter of Preference, Not Necessity
While confirming that Buhari made regular trips abroad for medical treatment, Shehu emphasized that these trips were not a rejection of Nigeria’s medical system but rather a continuation of a longstanding relationship with foreign doctors.
“He had a Nigerian doctor and access to qualified specialists in Nigeria, but he also maintained ties with foreign professionals he had been consulting long before becoming President,” Shehu noted.
He further defended the competence of Nigerian medical practitioners, pointing out that many Nigerian-trained doctors excel globally, and attributing the healthcare challenges to systemic issues rather than a lack of professional expertise.
Femi Adesina, who served as Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, had earlier suggested in a public statement that Buhari’s survival hinged on foreign medical interventions, as Nigerian hospitals allegedly lacked the capacity to manage his health conditions.
Shehu’s rebuttal aims to restore confidence in Nigerian medical professionals, while also clarifying the circumstances behind Buhari’s controversial foreign medical visits during his tenure.
