Late President Buhari’s Family Launches Book On ENDSARS, CBN, Forgery, His Death
As Nigerians prepare to commemorate the first posthumous birthday of former President Muhammadu Buhari, his family and close associates have launched a book intended to shed light on key issues that defined his time in power and the controversies that continue to surround his legacy.
The volume, Headlines & Soundbites: Media Moments that Defined an Administration, written by former Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed, is being presented as an insider account of governance, crisis communication and policy decisions during Buhari’s administration from 2015 to 2023 and will be formally unveiled on December 17, 2025, at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre in Abuja.
The book comes amid the persistent public debate over the handling of the nationwide EndSARS protests in 2020, which erupted in response to police brutality and culminated in a deadly confrontation at Lekki Toll Gate that drew international scrutiny. While official government records have been fragmented and questions remain about directives from the presidency at the time, Mohammed’s account aims to provide context on how decisions were communicated and defended during that period, and how misinformation shaped public perceptions of the leadership’s response.
Critics of the Buhari era have also claimed that powerful interests, often described as a “cabal,” exerted undue influence over key institutions including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). Although the book focuses primarily on media and communication strategies, its release has revived conversations about institutional independence and the role of political networks in economic decision‑making under Buhari. Such allegations have been amplified by high‑profile controversies involving senior officials during and after his tenure.
Another deeply contentious issue that the publication period coincides with is the legal saga over a disputed $6.2 million transaction from the CBN, in which a forensic expert testified in court that documents purporting to carry Buhari’s signature were forged.
The revelation during the trial of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele sparked intense scrutiny of internal controls and presidential authorisation procedures, and questions about the integrity of official endorsements remain part of public discourse.
The book’s launch also takes place against the backdrop of Buhari’s death on July 13, 2025, in a London hospital after a prolonged illness in the United Kingdom.
While the family and aides have not publicly disclosed the specific medical condition that led to his death, the former president’s frequent medical travels abroad and the timing of his passing have fuelled speculation and debate about transparency in leadership health matters.
Buhari was 82 years old at the time of his passing, and his death was widely mourned across the nation.
Supporters of the new book argue that it will contribute to a more nuanced understanding of one of Nigeria’s most polarising leaders by recounting how major issues were managed and how narratives were constructed from within the corridors of power.
Detractors, however, remain sceptical that a work centred on media strategy will fully address deeper questions about accountability and leadership decisions during critical moments in the country’s recent history.
As Nigerians prepare to read the book, discussions about Buhari’s complex legacy are set to continue.
