Buhari Was The Head Boy: His Classmates Reveal Details

Two prominent Nigerians, the President of Nigeria’s Court of Appeal between 1999 and 2009, Justice Umaru Abdullahi and former inspector-general of police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie have revealed that they went to school with Muhammadu Buhari.

There has been controversy surrounding the educational background of the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Gen Muhammadu Buhari but yesterday, he addressed a press conference in Kano State Government House, putting an end to the certificate saga.
In an interview with Leadership, 75-year-old Justice Abdullahi disclosed that he and some other prominent Nigerians were Buhari’s classmates at the Provincial Secondary School, Katsina (now Government College, Katsina).

Justice Umaru Abdullahi

According to him, the former Head of State was one of the most brilliant students then.
He said he sat for the West African School Certificate exams with the APC flag bearer in 1961.

Abdullahi said: “I, Buhari and some others had the best results during our final examinations in secondary school back then,” Leadership quoted the retired judge as saying.
“He was a very brilliant student in school, no doubt; we attended the same school from primary to secondary school.”

Coomasie disclosed that Buhari was the head boy and loved to play football during their days in school.

Gen Buhari (circled) with his classmates

He named Gen Shehu Musa Yar’Adua; the late Grand Khadi Halilu; former PCA Justice Abdullahi and a Second Republic senator Abdul Ali as some of their classmates.

“While we were in school, Buhari was the head boy. He loves playing football. We were all close friends in school. After we finished secondary school, General Buhari decided to join the military, I joined the police and Justice Abdullahi decided to go to the university.
“I, the late Shehu Yar’Adua, the late Halilu, a Grand Khadi in Katsina, Senator Abdul Ali, a Senator in the 2nd Republic and several others attended the same school,” Coomassie said.

Buhari has been under a lot of pressure lately as a result of his educational qualification. Some Nigerians and the ruling PDP had continued to insist he provides his certificates to prove his educational background.

Buhari had submitted an affidavit sworn in an Abuja High Court to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, indicating that his certificates are with the Nigerian military and since then controversy had continued to rage over the development.