A US-based Nigerian professor, Farooq Kperogi, has claimed that Aisha Buhari was divorced from former President Muhammadu Buhari before his death.
Kperogi, who teaches Journalism and Emerging Media at Kennesaw State University in the United States, made the statement on Wednesday via his verified Facebook page.
According to him, Aisha had dropped the name “Buhari” and returned to using her maiden name, Aisha Halilu. He also alleged that she was no longer involved in Buhari’s personal affairs, especially when he became ill.
Kperogi said: “They had divorced, and Aisha reverted to her maiden name, Aisha Halilu. If you paid close attention, you would notice that Aisha didn’t go to Daura when he retired to the town after leaving office.”
He further claimed that Buhari was alone when he later moved to Kaduna and that Aisha reportedly refused to travel to the UK to care for him during his illness.
His comments were in reaction to statements attributed to Aisha, in which she allegedly said that Buhari had asked her to seek forgiveness from Nigerians on his behalf. While Kperogi admitted that he could not verify those quotes, he insisted the former First Lady and Buhari had separated before his death.
So far, there has been no official response from Aisha Buhari or the Buhari family regarding these claims.
Former President Muhammadu Buhari passed away recently after a long illness. He served as Nigeria’s President from 2015 to 2023.
