The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) mourns the passing of former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who died on Sunday, July 13, 2025, in London, United Kingdom. We extend our deepest condolences to his family, loved ones, and the nation he led through both turbulent and transformative periods.
As Nigeria reflects on the life and legacy of a man who stood at the crossroads of military might and democratic governance, CHRICED calls for more than mourning—we call for reckoning. President Buhari’s imprint on Nigeria is indelible, but it is not immune from honest scrutiny. His decades-long presence in national affairs must be assessed not through the lens of sentiment, but through the lens of truth.
Discipline and Resolve: A Legacy Worth Remembering
From his early military career to his role as a civilian president, Buhari embodied discipline and a stern approach to governance. His leadership of the Petroleum Ministry, and later his War Against Indiscipline and anti-corruption rhetoric, stirred hope in many quarters. Infrastructure advancements and social programs such as N-Power, TraderMoni, and the School Feeding Programme brought relief to many.
Economic reforms like the Treasury Single Account (TSA) and the Whistleblower Policy signaled a government striving for transparency. His push for agricultural self-sufficiency showed intent to steer Nigeria toward resilience.
Unfinished Battles: The Price of Selective Change
Yet these accomplishments sit alongside a series of unresolved national traumas. Buhari’s presidency was marked by deepening insecurity, economic instability, and uneven justice. Boko Haram insurgency, banditry, and rural violence spread unchecked. The economy, twice plunged into recession, left millions struggling with unemployment, inflation, and poverty.
The fight against corruption, once a banner of his leadership, lost credibility through selective prosecutions and questionable pardons. Democratic institutions faltered. The violent crackdown on peaceful EndSARS protesters and shrinking civic space undermined the very principles Buhari once vowed to protect.
His death abroad symbolizes a painful reality: Nigeria’s public healthcare system remains woefully neglected, while the political elite continue to seek solace in foreign medical care, leaving citizens to contend with broken hospitals and empty promises.
Power Ends, But Legacy Echoes
CHRICED urges Nigerians—and especially those presently entrusted with the reins of power—to confront this moment with courage and clarity. Leadership is not a performance for applause; it is a sacred duty to uplift, protect, and empower.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and all public officials must internalize the hard lessons of Buhari’s rule: Governance devoid of compassion breeds division. Policy without people breeds resentment. Time will erase titles—but it will never forget impact.
Let this be a moment of awakening: a call to refashion the future from the ashes of lost opportunities, and to rise as a nation anchored in truth, justice, and dignity.
Signed,
Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi
Executive Director , CHRICED