Former presidential spokesperson Garba Shehu has dismissed assertions by his ex-colleague, Femi Adesina, that late President Muhammadu Buhari’s frequent medical trips abroad were due to the inadequacy of Nigeria’s healthcare system.
Speaking during an appearance on Channels Television’s Inside Sources, Shehu clarified that Buhari’s decision to seek medical care overseas was based on personal preference and a longstanding relationship with foreign specialists, rather than a rejection of local healthcare services.
“I think it is wrong to assume that he fenced himself off from the Nigerian medical system,” Shehu said. “He had a Nigerian doctor — a chief personal physician — and a State House Clinic, also led by a distinguished medical consultant.”
Shehu emphasized that Buhari’s medical team, largely composed of Nigerian professionals, consistently handled his immediate healthcare needs while in the country.
This response comes after Adesina recently stated that Buhari could have died long ago had he relied on Nigerian hospitals, citing a lack of local expertise as the reason for the President’s frequent overseas treatments.
Countering this narrative, Shehu argued that Nigerian-trained doctors have earned global recognition and remain an integral part of healthcare systems around the world — including those that attended to Buhari abroad.
He concluded by reiterating that the President’s overseas treatment was more about continuity with existing care than a critique of Nigerian medical institutions.
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