Chidi Odinkalu Blasts Leaders for Foreign Medical Trips as Buhari Dies Abroad, Urges Healthcare Reform

 

The death of Nigeria’s former President Muhammadu Buhari has sparked a wave of commentary across the country, with prominent human rights advocate Chidi Odinkalu using the moment to draw attention to the consequences of systemic failures in Nigeria’s healthcare sector.

News of Buhari’s passing came on Sunday, July 13, after a prolonged illness that saw him admitted to a London hospital. His death marks the end of a life steeped in public service and controversy, but for many like Odinkalu, it also symbolizes a deeper issue that continues to plague Nigeria.

Odinkalu did not mince words in his response. Sharing his thoughts via social media, the former chairman of Nigeria’s National Human Rights Commission pointed to what he sees as a long-standing failure of leadership. He criticized the country’s political elites for routinely abandoning Nigeria’s hospitals, preferring instead to seek medical attention abroad, often at the expense of the nation’s dignity and development.

In a direct message to those currently in power, Odinkalu highlighted the irony of relying on foreign hospitals while neglecting to build a functional healthcare system at home. He wrote:

“Nigeria’s current rulers may need to be reminded: Those who die in foreign hospitals only get to return to the country as cargo. They don’t pass through immigration. Rather, we clear them through Customs as import. If you don’t want this, build a hospital that can work for you.”

This poignant statement underscores the activist’s long-standing position on government responsibility and accountability. For Odinkalu, the issue is not just about personal choices made by leaders but about a broader culture of neglect that has left millions of Nigerians without access to quality healthcare.

Healthcare in Nigeria has struggled for decades due to chronic underfunding, poor infrastructure, and a lack of political will. While many of the nation's citizens grapple with failing hospitals and shortages of essential medical supplies, the country’s top officials routinely fly abroad for routine checkups and treatments.

The passing of Buhari, who spent considerable time during his presidency receiving treatment in the United Kingdom, brings this hypocrisy into stark relief. It also brings back memories of similar scenarios involving previous leaders, drawing attention once again to the urgent need for healthcare reform.

Odinkalu’s remarks also touched on a darker chapter in Buhari’s presidency, as he recalled the 2015 Zaria massacre, during which members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN), a Shiite group, were reportedly killed by the Nigerian Army under the former president’s watch.

“I remember today all the Shiites liquidated in the Zaria Massacre in December 2015 under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, including three sons of Sheikh El-Zakzaky. Their remains were transported in at least 47 trucks and buried in mass graves in Mando, Kaduna,” he stated.

That massacre, which remains a deeply controversial and unresolved issue in Nigerian human rights discourse, has continued to haunt Buhari’s legacy. Odinkalu’s decision to bring it up alongside news of the ex-president’s death points to a broader reckoning with the former leader’s time in office.

Many Nigerians have expressed mixed reactions to Buhari’s death. While some mourn the loss of a man who once led the country both as a military ruler and a democratically elected president, others are using the moment to reflect on the failings that defined his time in power.

Odinkalu’s voice, long respected in legal and human rights circles, resonates especially loudly in times like these. His call for introspection and reform is a reminder that the issues of leadership, justice, and basic public services are far from resolved.

As the country prepares to receive the body of its former president, the activist’s words are already sparking conversations that go beyond Buhari’s legacy. They are forcing Nigeria to once again confront uncomfortable questions about its priorities, its policies, and the true cost of a system where public hospitals continue to fail those they are meant to serve.