New Buhari biography reveals Aisha’s key role in Daura’s removal

By Kunle Sanni

A new book on the legacy of former President Muhammadu Buhari has revealed how former First Lady, Aisha Buhari, played a decisive role in the removal of the former Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Lawal Musa Daura, following the 2018 siege of the National Assembly.

According to the book, From Soldier to Statesman: The Legacy of Muhammadu Buhari, authored by Dr. Charles Omole, Aisha Buhari personally urged the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to act swiftly against the DSS leadership after masked operatives blocked access to the National Assembly.

“We cannot survive without removing the DSS,” Aisha Buhari was quoted as telling Osinbajo, insisting that the matter was constitutional rather than personal. She reportedly warned that chaos at the National Assembly — the seat of lawmaking — posed a grave threat to Nigeria’s democratic order.

Osinbajo, who was Acting President at the time, on August 7, 2018, terminated Daura’s appointment hours after masked DSS operatives blocked lawmakers and journalists from gaining access to the National Assembly. The action sparked widespread outrage and accusations of an attempted coup against then Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

Many Nigerians—particularly constitutional lawyers and policy experts—described the siege as a “gross violation of constitutional order.”

In the book, Aisha further counters widespread rumours that the late former President Buhari was displeased with Daura’s removal. Aisha is also quoted as dismissing such claims, saying those who suggested Buhari was angry were “lying,” adding that the former president would not support anyone who acted against the laws establishing public institutions.

Beyond the DSS episode, the book also sheds light on internal family disputes within the Presidential Villa, including tensions involving Mamman Daura, the former president’s nephew, which allegedly escalated to an incident involving gunfire. However, the author stops short of providing a detailed list of accusations, offering instead a broad overview of the disputes and their political implications.

The book was formally presented on Monday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, in a high-profile event attended by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Gambian President Adama Barrow, First Lady Senator Oluremi Tinubu, the wife of the Vice President Nana Shettima, governors, traditional rulers, members of the diplomatic corps, former First Lady Aisha Buhari, members of the Buhari family, former aides, and senior security officials.