Muhammadu Buhari: 10 Things We Will Remember Him For

Former Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari died in a London hospital on July 13, 2025, leaving behind a deeply polarizing legacy as a two-time Nigerian leader; first as a military dictator in the 1980s, and then as a civilian president from 2015 to 2023. Initially ushered in by a coalition that promised change, Buhari’s time in office came to be defined by insecurity, economic mismanagement and a recession, growing authoritarianism, and sectarian bias. 

He leaves behind a legacy marked by missed opportunities, deepened inequality, and a country struggling to rebuild itself from terrible policies. These are the hallmarks of his time in power. 

The Controversial Naira Redesign

In the final months of his administration, a poorly timed currency redesign led to a nationwide cash shortage. Businesses collapsed, Nigerians spent their productive hours looking for cash, and the informal economy, the lifeline for millions, ground to a halt. Lives were lost because of the arbitrary cash shortage. Buhari ignored the economic chaos, claiming the move was aimed at curbing vote-buying and inflation.

Suppression of Dissent and Free Speech

Far from being a “reformed democrat,” Buhari clamped down on critics as he did during his military rule. Journalists were harassed, media houses were sanctioned, and activists were jailed. His administration labeled critics “wailing wailers,” proposed anti-social media bills, and protests were treated as treason.

Twitter Ban

Following the EndSARS protests, many Nigerians turned to Twitter to vent their frustrations and criticism over institutional corruption, economic hardship, and growing insecurity. In 2021, Buhari banned Twitter for seven months after the platform deleted his tweet threatening a repeat of the Nigerian Civil War. His most unpopular policy among young Nigerians, the ban, silenced dissent and disrupted digital commerce for countless young Nigerians who depended on social media for their livelihood.

Ethnic and Religious Favoritism

As president, Muhammadu Buhari brazenly violated Nigeria’s federal character principle by filling top security and administrative posts with northerners and justified this unequal treatment by referencing voting patterns. His “97% vs 5%” comment laid bare his bias. His controversial RUGA plan was also seen as further ethnic favoritism toward Fulani herders.

 Failure of Empathy and National Leadership

Throughout crises, from the EndSARS protests to economic collapses, Buhari remained distant and blasé. His addresses were rare, tone-deaf, and often dismissive. He once blamed Nigerian youth for being “lazy,” and routinely failed to engage with civil society or empathize with victims of national tragedies. His broadcasts became so uninspiring and awful that Nigerians stopped him for an address.

EndSARS Lekki Massacre

Perhaps the most defining moment of Buhari’s second term was the October 2020 #EndSARS movement, where young Nigerians protested police brutality. The government disbanded SARS but cracked down hard on subsequent demonstrations. On October 20, 2020, soldiers opened fire on peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate, killing at least 12. Buhari’s national address failed to acknowledge the massacre. 

The protesters had thought that protesting with the Nigerian flag would prevent the soldiers from shooting at them, but they were mistaken. The Nigerian flag was draped in the innocent blood of Nigerians. In a statement addressing the protest, he called the protesters “rioters” and accused them of “undermining national security.”

Violence and Repression

Muhammadu Buhari will be remembered for unleashing terror and violence on the Nigerian people. Shortly after assuming office, Nigerian troops killed over 300 Shia Muslims in Zaria, Kaduna State, and secretly buried them in mass graves. The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh El-Zakzaky, and his wife were also detained for years, despite multiple court orders for their release.

In the Southeast, “Operation Python Dance” was launched ostensibly to combat crime and repress violent activities tied to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) but resulted in the brutal repression of people in the region. In this operation, Buhari sanctioned security forces raided the home of separatist leader Nnamdi Kanu, sparking violent confrontations, and hundreds of people were killed, including schoolboys. Even after courts deemed his extradition illegal, Kanu still remains in custody to this day.

Removal of the CJN

Walter Onnoghen, Nigeria’s Chief Justice, was controversially removed from office in January 2019 under President Buhari’s administration. His removal came via an ex parte order from the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT), which suspended him over allegations of false asset declaration, just weeks before the general elections. The order was secured without allowing Onnoghen to defend himself, sparking accusations of executive overreach and disregard for due process.

This move followed a broader clampdown on the judiciary. In 2016, security agents under the Department of State Services (DSS) raided the homes of several senior judges in a midnight operation, citing corruption. The dramatic invasions and Onnoghen’s removal raised concerns about the independence of the judiciary and the use of state power to intimidate perceived obstacles within democratic institutions

Poverty Capital & Other Bad Economic Policies

The economic situation under Muhammadu Buhari was unprecedented. In 2019, with no adequate preparation, Buhari closed Nigeria’s land borders in a bid to boost local agriculture and halt rice smuggling. The result: soaring food prices, up over 300%, and violations of ECOWAS trade agreements. Nigerians bore the brunt of the poorly executed policy, plunging the country into poverty, and under him, Nigeria became the poverty capital of the world, with nearly 87 million people in extreme poverty.

Buhari nearly tripled Nigeria’s public debt from about $60 billion in 2015 to over $150 billion by 2023. 96% of government revenue went to servicing debt by the end of his tenure. His administration engaged in excessive money printing through the Central Bank’s Ways and Means window, fuelling inflation and depleting the naira’s value.

Under Buhari, unemployment soared to 33.3% in 2020, and small businesses balked under arbitrary fiscal and monetary policies, while foreign investment dwindled.

Security Failure Despite Military Credentials

Despite campaign promises to “crush Boko Haram,” the insurgents expanded their reach in the Buhari administration. While some progress was made in reclaiming territories, the terror group split into factions and operated across multiple northern states. Attacks on trains, communities, and military bases continued unabated.

Nigeria witnessed an explosion of school kidnappings, including the abduction of over 1,000 children between 2020 and 2021, and amongst them is Leah Sharibu, a Christian girl who is still held in captivity because she refused to convert to Islam. Buhari’s failure to secure her release highlighted his broader inability to protect vulnerable citizens.

Mass jailbreaks and the rise of armed bandit groups in the northwest and central Nigeria exposed a failing security architecture. Ransom kidnappings became a nationwide crisis, turning into a billion-naira industry under Buhari’s watch.

Clashes between Fulani herders and farmers in the Middle Belt became deadlier, with over 1,800 killed in 2018 alone in Plateau State. Buhari, a Fulani man, was widely criticized for his bias towards herders, implicitly emboldening them, and for a general slow response to the issues. He also famously kicked against the legislation to outlaw open grazing across the federation.