Nigeria’s Vice President Kashim Shetima has paid a visit to the country’s two former leaders, Muhammadu Buhari and Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.) who are currently battling undisclosed health challenges in London.
According to Daily Trust newspaper, Shetima visited Buhari penultimate week, on the instruction of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and later Gen Abdulsalami during the period. The hospitals where the two former leaders are receiving treatment remained undisclosed.
Buhari, who fell ill recently, and undergoing treatment in a London hospital, was reportedly placed in intensive care in the early days of his admission but is said to have come out of the critical condition and is now recuperating well.
A credible source privy to the development told Daily Trust that
Shettima flew to London penultimate Sunday night and checked up on the former president the Monday morning.
The source added that Shettima also visited former Head of State Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar during the same trip.
When contacted about the visit and why it was not made public, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications, Office of the Vice President, Stanley Nkwocha, said the Vice President did actually travel to London, but that it was a totally private visit.
On Monday night, there were apprehensions over the state of health of the former President with speculation rife that his health might have deteriorated.
Daily Trust made spirited efforts to speak with the former President’s spokesman, Garba Shehu, but he did not respond to our reporter’s inquiries.
However, in the early hours of Tuesday, Malam Garba replied to an sms sent to him and said: “The information available to me is that he (Buhari) is in a recovery mode.”
Since then, much has not been heard from the camp of the former President until news of the recent visit by Vice President Shettima.
While in office as President between 2015 and 2023, President Buhari then had a history of medical checkups mainly outside the country.
His health has also been a subject of intense debate owing to his status as the number one citizen at the time.
After assuming office in May 2015, Buhari spent over a hundred days outside the country in 2017, specifically in London due to an undisclosed ailment.
He also made further medical check-up trips to London in 2018 and 2021.
Following enquiries, a former media aide to the former president, Mallam Garba Shehu, ealier confirmed that Buhari was hospitalised in London.
He wrote: “Following your inquiry, I wish to state as follows: It is true that the former President, Muhammadu Buhari, is unwell. He has been receiving treatment in the UK,” Garba Shehu said.
“You would recall he made it known that he was going for his annual medical check-up. He became ill there, but I am happy to announce to you that he is doing well in his recovery while receiving treatment. We pray for his healthy recovery.”
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