Inside Muhammadu Buhari’s Family: Meet his wives, 10 children, and the legacy he left behind

Muhammadu Buhari was many things to Nigerians: a soldier, a military ruler, a democratically elected president, and one of the most controversial figures in Nigeria’s political history.

He first came to power in 1983 through a military coup and returned over three decades later as a civilian president in 2015, marking one of the most unexpected political comebacks in Africa.

On July 13, 2025, news broke that Buhari had died. Nigerians reacted with shock, sympathy, and, if we're being honest, nonchalance. This wasn’t the first time Buhari’s death had been announced. In fact, over the past decade, his death has been rumoured more times than anyone could count. At one point, conspiracy theorists even claimed the real Buhari had died in London and been replaced by a body double named “Jubril from Sudan.”

But this time, the headlines weren’t rumours or propaganda. The former president had passed away.

Buhari ruled Nigeria for eight years as a civilian president, stepping down in 2023 after completing two terms. To his supporters, he was a symbol of integrity and order, their "Sai Baba". To his critics, he was aloof, authoritarian, and out of touch with the everyday struggles of Nigerians. His infamous quote being, "Nigerian youths are lazy."

But behind the public image, the political disparity, the kaftan, and the noise, was a man with a family; wives, children, and loved ones who witnessed the many shades of Buhari that the public rarely saw.

As the country reflects on his passing, many Nigerians are revisiting his legacy as a leader and turning their attention to the family that survived him; the people who shared his home, his name, and his history. 

SEE MORE: Life and times of Muhammadu Buhari

Buhari's first wife, Safinatu Buhari

Long before Aisha Buhari became First Lady, there was Safinatu Buhari, Buhari’s first wife and the original matriarch of his household.

Born in 1952 in Plateau State and raised in Kaduna, Safinatu was just 18 years old when she married Muhammadu Buhari in 1971. She came from a quiet, respectable northern family and was known for her elegance and calm demeanour.

When Buhari became Nigeria’s military Head of State in 1983, Safinatu quietly stepped into the role of First Lady. But she was unlike any First Lady Nigeria had seen. She was soft-spoken, mostly absent from the public eye, and rarely photographed. She preferred to stay behind the scenes, focusing on raising her children and managing the home front.

However, their marriage ended in divorce in 1988, three years after Buhari was overthrown and imprisoned following a military coup. Reports suggest that the separation may have been influenced by ideological and personal differences that widened during his detention.

Safinatu passed away in 2006 at the age of 54, after battling diabetes. 

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Safinatu Buhari's Children

Together, Buhari and Safinatu had five children, although one passed away at a young age. Here’s what we know about them:

1. Zulaihat (Zulai) Buhari

Zulaihat “Zulai” Buhari Junaid (born December 5, 1972 – died November 29, 2012) was the eldest daughter of Buhari and Safinatu. Known for her humility and quiet grace, she was deeply cherished by those close to her. 

• Education: She began her schooling in the U.S. as a child, attended Air Force Military School in Lagos, then Queens College, Lagos; later completing high school at Federal Government College, Kaduna. She earned a B.Sc. in Economics and a Postgraduate Diploma in Management from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

• Career & community work: Zulai worked at African Intercontinental Bank and later for the Ministry of Solid Minerals & Steel in Kaduna. She founded the Hajiya Safinatu Buhari Foundation in memory of her mother, providing assistance to those affected by diabetes.

• Personal life: Married to retired Captain Mahmud Junaid, she was a devoted wife and mother of three; two older children and a newborn at the time of her death. Zulai also bravely lived with sickle-cell anaemia throughout her life.

• Passing: She tragically died at age 40 from sickle-cell complications two days after giving birth in a private Kaduna clinic. Her death deeply impacted Buhari and led to widespread condolences, including from then President Goodluck Jonathan and northern governors.

2. Fatima Buhari

Fatima Buhari, the second daughter of Safinatu and Buhari, has maintained a modest presence in the public eye, but her life is far from low-profile.

• Education & career: She studied medicine at Ahmadu Bello University and later pursued postgraduate training abroad. Her professional journey includes notable roles within both the Nigerian and international health sectors.

• Public service: In 2021, she was appointed as a board member of the Chartered Institute of Forensic and Certified Fraud Examiners of Nigeria (CIFCFEN).

While not as visible as her half-siblings, Fatima’s career suggests she’s quietly contributing to national development, which is impactful.

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3. Hadiza Buhari

Nana Hadiza Buhari isn’t as media-visible as some of her younger half-siblings, but she has lived a well-rounded life. 

• Education: She attended First Essence International School in Nigeria, continued at Cobham Hall, Kent, UK, and graduated from the University of Buckingham. She completed postgraduate studies in International Affairs & Strategic Studies at Kaduna Polytechnic.

• Marriages & family: First married to Abdulrahman Mamman Kurfi, with whom she had six children. The marriage later ended in divorce. On July 8, 2022, she quietly married Attorney-General Abubakar Malami in a private nikah ceremony at the State House mosque in Abuja. Their union attracted a modest public following, though the couple kept festivities minimal.

• Profession: Hadiza is involved in civic work; she holds a director position with the Africa Support & Empowerment Initiative (AFRISEI).

4. Safinatu Buhari (Jnr.)

Safinatu Lami Buhari, the youngest daughter, has remained notably private while quietly building a life of education and family.

• Birth & background: Born on October 13, 1983, Safinatu is named after her mother.

• Education: She started at Essence International School, then attended Cobham Hall in Kent, UK. She earned her first degree from the University of Plymouth, and later advanced her studies at Arden University, also in the UK.

• Personal life & family: In 2010, Safinatu married and became a mother to two children. She had a son named Isa and another son, Ishmael. She’s maintained an extremely low public profile since, with little coverage of her professional or public engagements.

• Persona: Though private, her name often appears in gatherings of the extended Buhari family.

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5. Musa Buhari

Musa reportedly died at a young age from sickle cell anaemia, and not much information is available.

His second wife, Aisha Buhari

After his divorce in 1988, Buhari married Aisha Halilu Buhari in 1989. Aisha, born in 1971 in Adamawa State, is everything Safinatu was not: outspoken, fashionable, highly educated, and bold. 

She studied public administration and beauty therapy and became a certified beauty therapist and entrepreneur. In 2014, she authored “Essentials of Beauty Therapy” and later launched humanitarian programs under the Future Assured initiative.

When Buhari returned to power in 2015, Aisha became First Lady and immediately made headlines for publicly criticising her husband’s government. Something no other First Lady had ever done.

Aisha stirred debates around feminism, northern conservatism, and marital power dynamics. Her outspokenness made her a divisive figure, admired by some, resented by others.

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Aisha Buhari's Children

Many of Aisha’s children grew up in the public eye, attending elite schools, making high-profile marriages, and occasionally courting controversy.

1. Zahra Buhari-Indimi

Zahra Muhammadu Buhari-Indimi stands out as the most visible and socially engaged of his children, combining education, entrepreneurship, and philanthropy in her public life.

• Education: Zahra began her schooling in Nigeria, attending Kaduna International School and the British School of Lomé, later continuing at Bellerby’s College in Brighton. She graduated with a degree in Medical Microbiology from the University of Surrey, UK.

• Humanitarian work: As the founder of ACE Charity Africa, she supports children suffering from sickle cell disease, providing scholarships, medical camps, and educational outreach. 

• Media and influence: Zahra launched the "#InConversationWithZahra" series, a platform that explores family, relationships, and personal development. She balances her online presence with her philanthropic work.

• Marriage & family: On December 16, 2016, Zahra married Ahmed Indimi, son of billionaire Mohammed Indimi, in a well-publicised Fatiha ceremony at the National Mosque in Abuja, attended by political elites. They have two children.

• Public persona: Zahra is known for her thoughtful approach to social issues. She has engaged in public advocacy campaigns, including pro-sickle-cell initiatives and COVID-19 responses, and stood firm against defamation, challenging media allegations about government-linked appointments.

2. Yusuf Buhari 

Yusuf Muhammadu Buhari is the only son of former President Buhari and First Lady Aisha. He became a symbol of elite youth in Nigeria, both criticised and admired, for his public presence and high-profile life choices.

• Education: Yusuf studied in the UK, earning his degree from the University of Surrey in Guildford, following in his sister Zahra’s footsteps.

• Notable incident: In April 2017, Yusuf survived a severe crash on his power bike, which led to national concern due to speculations and rumours about his health.

• Marriage & public spectacle: Yusuf caught national attention again in August 2021 when he married Zahra Nasir Bayero, daughter of the Emir of Bichi. The ceremony, dubbed “Nigeria’s celebrity event of the year”, was held at the Emir’s palace in Bichi, Kano State, and attracted royal prestige and political elite from across Africa.

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3. Halima Buhari-Sheriff

Halima Muhammadu Buhari-Sheriff, born October 8, 1990, is the eldest daughter of the former President and First Lady Aisha Buhari. A lawyer by training and a grounded public figure, she combines a professional career with a notable public presence.

• Education & legal career: She attended International School, Kaduna, then British School of Lomé, and Bellerby’s College in Brighton, UK. Halima graduated with a law degree from the University of Leicester, then earned her B.L. (Bar License) after attending Nigerian Law School. She was officially called to Bar on July 14, 2016, in a ceremony attended by President Buhari, Aisha, and siblings Yusuf and Zahra. She now works as a lawyer and has served as a prosecutor and Deputy Director at the Borno State Ministry of Justice.

• Advocate: She’s involved in legal circles and women's development, honoured at the 2023 NAWOJ (Nigerian Association of Women Journalists) awards, where she and Zahra accepted the "Icon and Beacon of Hope for Empowerment" award on Aisha's behalf.

• Family & personal life: She’s married to Alhaji Babagana Muhammed Sheriff, a prominent Borno businessman, in a well-publicised and groomed ceremony in 2012.

4. Amina (Noor) Buhari

Amina Buhari, was born on September 14, 2004. While she rarely steps into the public spotlight, here’s what’s known:

• Education: Amina is currently a student at Kaduna International School, following in the academic footsteps of her older siblings.

5. Aisha Buhari

As the youngest child, Aisha is still coming of age and has not yet been active in public life.

Buhari, his family and legacy

The passing of the former President of Nigeria, though loved by some and criticised by others, has left a mark that will be etched in history.

But away from the political theatre, away from the harsh lights of power, was a man who was also a father, a husband, a grandfather.

He buried a son and a daughter. He watched his children grow into lawyers, doctors, philanthropists, and parents of their own. He guided them with the same stern principles he brought to national leadership.

In his passing, Nigeria not only loses a former president, but a patriarch whose family quietly mirrored the values, and contradictions of his public life. His family now carry the weight of his name, his story, and the long, complicated legacy of the man they called “Baba”.

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