•Late former President Muhammadu Buhari
Fatima Buhari, daughter of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has said that her father, at one point, believed his office in the Presidential Villa was under secret surveillance.
The disclosure is contained in a new book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, written by the Director-General of the Institute for Police and Security Policy Research, Dr Charles Omole, and unveiled in Abuja yesterday.
Fatima, in the book, stated that the suspicion led her and her late father to communicate by writing notes rather than speaking.
According to Fatima, there were occasions when Buhari feared conversations in his office were being monitored, prompting unusual precautions during their interactions.
She recalled one such meeting in which her father avoided speaking altogether and instead relied on gestures to communicate, signalling that they should write down their messages.
“He touched his cheek, like he had a toothache, and signalled that we shouldn’t talk.
“We wrote notes to each other, like spies in a film,” she said.
Fatima said the former president believed listening devices had been planted in his office at the Villa and warned her to remain cautious, noting that he himself was always on guard.
The book describes the episode not as theatrics, but as a coping mechanism in an environment where trust was strained and privacy uncertain.
More troubling, the account suggests, was Buhari’s apparent resignation to the situation, despite his position as Commander-in-Chief.
Fatima questioned the level of influence wielded by those suspected of planting the devices — often referred to as “the Cabal” —particularly as the alleged surveillance was said to have occurred within the highly secured Presidential Villa.
The book further noted that some security chiefs who served under Buhari later confirmed that unusual objects were frequently discovered in the president’s office and bedroom during routine security sweeps, though how such items found their way into the restricted areas remained unclear.
Fatima described the atmosphere within the Villa as deeply unsettling, at times bordering on what she called “diabolical.”
“We’re Africans. We know supernatural powers,” she said, declining to elaborate on certain incidents and adding that some matters were best left to divine judgment.
According to the book, Buhari’s personal disposition influenced how he handled such situations. Fatima said age and faith had softened him, making him less inclined to confront or publicly disgrace those around him, even when trust was compromised.
“He understands people’s histories — their parents, their families — and he doesn’t want to destroy hope,” she said.
She added that once Buhari placed his trust in someone, it was difficult for him to withdraw it without overwhelming proof, preferring quiet corrections and warnings to sacking or public humiliation.
Fatima also disclosed that she lived in constant fear for her father’s safety, saying there were moments when she believed attempts were made to harm him.
“There were attempts. Harm was done, but his time was not yet,” she said, without providing further details.
As part of measures to manage perceived threats, she said Buhari sometimes publicly reprimanded her to give the impression of distance, even though he would later reach out privately to reassure her and her children.
“I cried in front of them, but deep inside, he would call me and the kids,” she said.
