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| Chidi Odinkalu speaking on Buhari repatriation as cargo |
Odinkalu told politicians they should clear the remains of citizens through Customs, not immigration. He said this was a reminder that no one escapes the limits of our health system. He urged the government to build hospitals that meet basic needs.
He recalled the 2015 Zaria massacre, when the army killed hundreds of Shiites and buried many in mass graves. He noted that at least 47 trucks carried the remains to Mando, Kaduna State, late at night . He named three sons of Sheikh Ibrahim El-Zakzaky among the dead.
Buhari’s death in London at age 82 came after he led the country from 2015 to 2023 and served as military head of state in the 1980s . He first ruled by coup from 1983 to 1985. He then won power at the ballot box in 2015 and again in 2019.
President Bola Tinubu called Buhari a patriot, a soldier, and a statesman. He said Buhari’s service would live on. He ordered flags at half-mast and asked Vice-President Kashim Shettima to go to London and bring back the body . Shettima and the chief of staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, flew out on July 14 to escort the remains.
A former presidential aide said Buhari would be buried in Daura, his hometown in Katsina State. He will receive a Muslim burial there. The government declared seven days of mourning.
Odinkalu used Buhari’s passing to highlight a long-standing gap in our health system. He said many who travel abroad for care also die abroad. Their bodies return as freight.
Odinkalu’s point cuts two ways. First, it shows the cost of poor health services. Second, it underlines the need for honest debate about health funding.
The Zaria massacre sits at the root of his warning. In December 2015, Nigerian troops clashed with the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (IMN). They killed unarmed protesters and buried at least 347 bodies in a mass grave . Families never saw the remains.
Odinkalu said politicians ignore that history at their peril. He said they must learn from it. He argued that leaders should invest in care so no one dies alone abroad.
Some experts agree. Dr. Amina Yusuf, a public health specialist, said poor hospitals push many to seek care in Europe or Asia. She said boosting local capacity would save lives and money.
Others warn that health reform takes time. Dr. Emeka Okafor, a health policy expert, said training staff and buying equipment can span years. He said leaders must start now.
Meanwhile, families wait. The families of both the Shiite victims and the former president share one fate: they will clear remains with Customs.
This reality stands in stark contrast to the pomp of a state funeral. Buhari’s legacy of big roads and anti-corruption drives seems at odds with an ailing health sector. Odinkalu said this gap must close.
If Nigeria wants to honor its fallen, it must not only mark their deaths with flags and speeches. It must also treat its living with dignity.
That means funding hospitals. It means training nurses. It means modern wards.
Odinkalu’s warning is plain. Build care at home, or send your dead in cargo trucks.
Listen to his call. Act now on health. The next life saved could be yours or mine.