Babangida returns to Nigeria after 2-month medical trip abroad

Former Nigerian Military President, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, has returned to Nigeria after spending two months in Switzerland for routine medical checkups.

The former leader arrived in his hometown, Minna, on Thursday, before proceeding to Abuja via a chartered flight.

General Babangida had left Nigeria on the 7th of January, 2023, from the Minna International Airport for a connecting flight from Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, where he was flown out of the country in a private jet.

Reports indicate that he was accompanied on the trip by his second son, Aminu, and another security personnel.

He arrived at the Abuja International Airport at about 4 pm, where he was received by his second son, Aminu, and former National Security Adviser, Gen Aliyu Gusau. Two of his children, Muhammed Babangida and Aisha, also accompanied him on the trip.

There were rumours that General Babangida’s trip was linked to the upcoming general elections in Nigeria, and that he had concerns about potential upheavals during and after the polls. However, his spokesperson, Alhaji Mahmud Abdullahi, dispelled the rumours, stating that the former military president was not anticipating any controversies.

In a congratulatory message to the president-elect, Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Babangida described his victory as a new dawn for Nigeria and wished him well.

The former president’s return to Nigeria has been met with mixed reactions, with some Nigerians expressing joy at his safe return and others questioning his absence from the country for such an extended period.