Nigerians 'divided' over former President Buhari's legacy
Bulama Bukarti, a conflict and development analyst, looks at the legacy of former Nigerian president, Muhammadu Buhari, who died on July 13, at the age of 82.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Jazeera
4 hours ago
- Al Jazeera
MSF says 3 of its workers were ‘intentionally' killed in Ethiopia's Tigray
Doctors Without Borders says three of its staff were 'intentionally' killed in 2021 during the fierce fighting in Ethiopia's Tigray region. The organisation, known by its French initials MSF, on Tuesday published the findings of its internal review into the killings of Maria Hernandez, a Spanish national, and Ethiopians Yohannes Halefom Reda and Tedros Gebremariam Gebremichael. The northern region of Tigray erupted in a brutal civil war against the federal government from 2020 and 2022 that killed some 600,000 people. The conflict prompted a humanitarian disaster, leaving a million displaced, and a fragile peace deal has caused simmering resentment. MSF accused the Ethiopian government of failing to 'fulfil its moral obligations' to conclude investigations. 'The review confirmed that the attack was an intentional and targeted killing of three clearly identified aid workers,' says its statement. Hernandez was one of MSF's emergency coordinators in Tigray, while Reda and Gebremichael were a coordination assistant and driver for the NGO. All three employees of MSF-Spain were shot dead on June 24, 2021, in southern Tigray. The NGO said they and their vehicle were all clearly identified. According to the medical charity, a convoy of Ethiopian soldiers was present at the time of the attack. MSF said despite numerous follow-ups with the federal authorities in Addis Ababa, they had not received 'any credible answers' and the government had 'failed to fulfil its moral obligations to conclude an investigation into the attack'. 'This was not the result of crossfire, nor was it a tragic mistake. Our colleagues were killed in what can only be described as a deliberate attack,' said Paula Gil, president of MSF-Spain. The report follows from an international investigation in 2022 when the NGO said the three aid workers had been killed 'intentionally,' without providing further details. The New York Times newspaper claimed in a 2022 investigation that an Ethiopian army officer had given the order to kill the three aid workers. But Raquel Ayora, director-general of MSF-Spain, said on Tuesday, 'We cannot confirm that or go that far.' The report's findings were presented to authorities, who did not respond, the NGO said. Ethiopian authorities refused to meet the president of MSF-Spain to discuss the MSF investigation into the killings. The 2020-2022 war pitted federal forces, supported by local militias and the Eritrean army, against Tigrayan rebels. All of the warring parties have been accused of war crimes. However, an NGO called The Sentry said in June that, while all sides perpetrated war crimes, the nature of the atrocities committed by the Eritrean army was 'unmatched in scale and premeditation'. Ethiopia, Africa's second-most populous country with nearly 130 million inhabitants, has been led by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed since 2018.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Al Jazeera
Former Nigerian President Buhari to be buried in hometown on Tuesday
Nigeria's former President Muhammadu Buhari will be buried in his hometown of Daura in the northern state of Katsina, once his body is repatriated from the United Kingdom, the state governor has said. The remains of the ex-leader, who died aged 82 in London on Sunday following a prolonged illness, will reach Nigeria on Tuesday, with his burial taking place later the same day, according to Dikko Umaru Radda. Preparations for the burial were under way in Daura on Monday, while the country's Vice President Kashim Shettima was in London organising the repatriation of Buhari's body. Buhari, who first ruled the country as a military leader between 1984 and 1985, served consecutive presidential terms between 2015 and 2023. He was the first opposition politician to be voted into power since the country's return to civilian rule. The self-described 'converted democrat' is being remembered by many as a central figure in his country's democratic evolution. However, some critics have also noted his failure to improve Nigeria's economy or its security during his presidency. Paying tribute to his predecessor on Sunday, President Bola Tinubu called him 'a patriot, a soldier, a statesman'. 'He stood firm through the most turbulent times, leading with quiet strength, profound integrity, and an unshakable belief in Nigeria's potential,' Tinubu wrote in a post on X. 'He championed discipline in public service, confronted corruption head-on and placed the country above personal interest at every turn.' Tinubu added that all national flags would fly at half-mast for seven days from Sunday, and said Buhari would be accorded full-state honours. Radda also paid his respects to the former president, describing him as 'the embodiment of the common man's aspirations'. Ibrahim Babangida, a former military ruler who ousted Buhari in a coup in 1985, also released a statement after his death was announced. 'We may not have agreed on everything — as brothers often don't — but I never once doubted his sincerity or his patriotism,' Babangida said. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Alexis Akwagyiram, managing editor at Semafor and a longtime observer of Nigerian politics, noted that Buhari was popular for his 'personal brand of integrity and honesty'. However, Akwagyiram also highlighted Buhari's shortcomings on the economy and security, saying that insurgencies from groups such as Boko Haram had 'proliferated under his tenure'.
Al Jazeera
a day ago
- Al Jazeera
Trump's push for peace in the DRC
Peace agreement between the DRC and Rwanda is staggering in its ambition. A peace deal has been signed – again – between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda, this time in Washington DC, with president Donald Trump watching closely. But can it succeed where others have failed? And is it designed to save lives or to exploit the DRC's mineral wealth?
