Ailing President Buhari sends message to Nigerians

26th June 2017 By: News24Wire

Ailing President Buhari sends message to Nigerians

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari
Photo by: Reuters

Nigeria's sick president Muhammadu Buhari has reportedly released an audio message in which he gives an Eid greeting.

Buhari is currently in London where he is receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness.

According to This Day, this was the first time in eight weeks that Nigerians have heard his voice after he left the western African country some eight weeks ago.

The recording was aimed at debunking reports last week that alleged Buhari was suffering from speech impairment and memory loss.

The message was recorded in Hausa.

In the recording, Buhari thanked Nigerians for their prayers for his well-being and urged them to always avoid hate and divisive expressions capable of throwing the country into a civil crisis.

Buhari left Abuja for London on May 7 for a "follow-up medical consultation" after spending nearly two months in Britain being treated for what he described as one of the worst illnesses of his life.

His health was being watched closely as a previous president, Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, died in office in 2010 after receiving treatment abroad for a longstanding but undisclosed illness.

Yar'Adua's absence triggered months of political turmoil.