Former Chief of Staff to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, has revealed that the late Nigerian leader was deeply troubled by his inability to fully resolve the country’s security challenges before the end of his tenure.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Gambari explained that although Buhari made notable progress in tackling the Boko Haram insurgency, persistent insecurity in other parts of the country remained a major source of concern for him.
According to Gambari, the former president was particularly distressed by the continued wave of banditry and violent attacks in the North-West and parts of the North-Central regions. Despite the resources and strategies deployed by his administration, these security threats proved difficult to completely eliminate.
“One of the things that hurt him the most was that he felt he could have done more to improve the security situation before leaving office,” Gambari said. “He did achieve a lot, especially by ensuring that no part of Nigeria remained under the control of Boko Haram.”
He added that Buhari often reflected on the ongoing instability in other regions, expressing frustration that, despite his efforts, insecurity persisted. “The situation in the North-West, the North-Central, and the issue of banditry weighed heavily on him. At times, he felt he had exhausted all possible options for the people, even questioning whether the foundation he inherited was strong enough to support lasting solutions,” Gambari noted.
also addressed questions about alleged coup rumours that reportedly surfaced toward the end of Buhari’s administration. These claims followed remarks by the Minister of Defence, who suggested that there were security threats prior to President Bola Tinubu’s inauguration.
Reacting to the reports, Gambari said he was not aware of any such intelligence being communicated to Buhari through his office. He clarified that while the Chief of Staff plays a key role in advising the president, he is not the sole channel through which sensitive information is received.
“Honestly, I’m not aware of that,” Gambari said. “The president had access to multiple sources of intelligence. While the Chief of Staff is an important one, he is not the only one. It is possible that information reached the president through other means that I was not privy to.”
His remarks provide further insight into Buhari’s reflections on governance, security, and the challenges his administration faced in addressing Nigeria’s complex and evolving security landscape.
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