Here are 50 astonishing facts about his remarkable life and legacy.
1. Born in Daura: Muhammadu Buhari was born on December 17, 1942, in Daura, Katsina State, Nigeria, to a Muslim Fulani family.
2. Twenty-Third Child: He was the 23rd child of Mallam Hardo Adamu, a Fulani chieftain, and his mother, Zulaihat.
3. Named After a Scholar: His name honours Muhammad al-Bukhari, a renowned 9th-century Islamic scholar.
4. Orphaned Early: Buhari’s father died when he was four, leaving him under the guardianship of Waziri Alhassan.
5. Cattle Rearing: As a child, Buhari helped rear cattle while attending Qur’anic school in Daura.
6. Scholarship to UK: In 1960, he won a scholarship from Elder Dempster Lines for a summer visit to the United Kingdom.
7. Headboy in School: He served as house captain and headboy during his secondary education at Katsina Provincial Secondary School.
8. Military Ambition: Inspired by junior officer Hassan Katsina, Buhari joined the Nigerian military instead of pursuing a medical degree.
9. Young Cadet: At 19, he was among 70 boys selected for the Nigerian Military Training College in 1962.
10. Trained in England: Buhari underwent officer cadet training at Mons Officer Cadet School in Aldershot, England, in 1962–1963.
11. Commissioned Young: He was commissioned as a second lieutenant at age 20 in January 1963.
12. Nigerian Civil War: Buhari served in the 1st Division during the Nigerian Civil War, participating in key battles in Ogoja and Nsukka.
13. Heavy Casualties: His unit suffered significant losses protecting food supply routes during the war’s Awka sector operations.
14. 1975 Coup: Buhari was part of the coup that brought General Murtala Mohammed to power in 1975.
15. Governor at 32: He became the first Governor of Borno State in 1976 at age 32 after the North-Eastern State split.
16. Petroleum Commissioner: Appointed Federal Commissioner for Petroleum in 1976, he oversaw major infrastructure investments.
17. NNPC Chairman: Buhari was the first chairman of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation from 1977 to 1978.
18. US Army War College: He earned a master’s degree in Strategic Studies from the US Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in 1980.
19. 1983 Coup Leader: Buhari led the military coup that overthrew the Second Nigerian Republic in December 1983.
20. Head of State: He served as Nigeria’s military head of state from December 1983 to August 1985.
21. War Against Indiscipline: Launched in 1984, his War Against Indiscipline (WAI) aimed to enforce public morality and civic responsibility.
22. Harsh Decrees: His regime’s Decree Number 2 allowed detention without charges for up to three months.
23. Press Crackdown: Decree Number 4 in 1984 targeted journalists with fines and jail for publishing “false” reports.
24. Fela Kuti’s Arrest: Buhari’s government jailed musician Fela Kuti for 18 months on charges Amnesty International called “spurious.”
25. Mass Retrenchment: About 200,000 civil servants were retrenched under his administration by October 1984.
26. Anti-Corruption Purge: Over 500 politicians, officials, and businessmen were jailed for corruption during his 20-month rule.
27. Economic Reforms: His Buharism policy promoted import substitution and self-employment but led to industrial slowdowns.
28. IMF Rejection: Buhari refused IMF demands to devalue the naira by 60%, opting for stricter domestic reforms.
29. Expulsion of Migrants: In 1985, his regime expelled 700,000 illegal foreigners, sparking a crisis named “El Buhari” in Niger.
30. 1985 Coup: Overthrown by Ibrahim Babangida in August 1985, Buhari was detained in Benin City until 1988.
31. Detention Conditions: He spent three years in a guarded bungalow with access to a two-channel television.
32. Katsina Foundation: Post-detention, Buhari became the pioneer chairman of the Katsina Foundation to promote development.
33. PTF Chairman: As Chairman of the Petroleum Trust Fund in the 1990s, he oversaw transparent developmental projects.
34. Multiple Presidential Runs: Buhari contested for president in 2003, 2007, and 2011 before winning in 2015.
35. Historic Victory: His 2015 win marked the first time an incumbent Nigerian president (Goodluck Jonathan) lost re-election.
36. 2019 Re-election: Buhari defeated Atiku Abubakar by over 3 million votes in the 2019 presidential election.
37. Health Challenges: He sought medical treatment in the UK multiple times, including a 104-day stay in 2017.
38. Boko Haram Fight: His administration secured the release of 103 Chibok girls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2016–2017.
39. Anti-Corruption War: Over 600 figures, including judges and military officers, were convicted for corruption from 2015 to 2020.
40. Social Welfare Program: Launched the National Social Investment Program in 2016 to support vulnerable populations.
41. N-Power Initiative: His N-Power program provided job training and stipends to young Nigerians to boost employment.
42. Ruga Controversy: His administration’s Ruga policy to settle Fulani herders was suspended due to opposition from southern states.
43. Twitter Ban: In 2021, his government banned Twitter after it deleted his post threatening violence against Biafra insurgents.
44. Signature Forgery: A 2023 lawsuit revealed a $6.2 million theft from the Central Bank using Buhari’s forged signature.
45. First Lady Office: He vowed to abolish the First Lady office in 2014 but allowed Aisha Buhari to operate it.
46. Controversial Remark: In 2016, Buhari said his wife “belongs to my kitchen” while standing next to Angela Merkel.
47. Plagiarism Scandal: His 2016 speech for the “Change Begins With Me” campaign was found to be plagiarized from Obama’s 2009 speech.
48. Chadian Incursion: In 1983, he pursued Chadian forces into their territory against President Shagari’s orders.
49. Umaru Dikko Affair: His regime attempted to kidnap Umaru Dikko from London in 1984, foiled by British authorities.
50. Peaceful Handover: In 2023, Buhari handed over power to Bola Tinubu, retiring to his farm in Daura.
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