New Book Claims Buhari Believed His Official Residence Was Bugged

Eshioromeh Sebastian, Abuja

A new biography of Nigeria’s late former President, Muhammadu Buhari, contains startling claims that he lived under the constant suspicion that his official residence and office were under surveillance.

The revelations are made in ‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’, authored by Charles Omole, and are based on accounts from his daughter, Fatima Buhari, and some former security chiefs.

According to the book, President Buhari was convinced that listening devices had been planted within the State House. This belief reportedly led to extraordinary measures to ensure private communication.

‘Writing Notes Like Spies’

The biography describes a scene where Buhari and his daughter, Fatima, sat together in silence. Believing the room was bugged, the late President would use non-verbal gestures—like touching his cheek—to signal that they should not speak aloud.

“Instead, they write messages to each other on paper, like spies in a film,” the book states.

It quotes Buhari as warning his daughter to be cautious, a practice the family adopted as they “learned to mistrust the walls around them.”

Security Sweeps Found ‘Unusual Objects’

The claims of surveillance are further bolstered by accounts from some security chiefs who served under Buhari. The author writes that these officials confirmed the periodic discovery of “unusual objects” in the President’s office and private quarters during routine security sweeps.

This pervasive sense of being monitored is presented as part of a broader atmosphere of mistrust and subterfuge that characterized aspects of Buhari’s presidency.

The book also details separate allegations by Fatima, a forensic auditor, of finding official documents bearing forged versions of her father’s signature and of his approved speeches being altered before delivery.

The biography suggests these incidents—whether acts of bureaucratic incompetence or deliberate sabotage—created a feeling within the family that the President’s intent and authority were being subtly undermined from within the system itself.

‘From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari’ is expected to spark significant debate about the internal dynamics and challenges of the Buhari administration.