A new book that was published in Abuja on Tuesday details how, in November 2015, six months after taking office as president of Nigeria, former President Muhammadu Buhari and his aides were on the verge of a plane accident.
According to Femi Adesina’s book “Working with Buhari: Reflections of a Special Adviser, Media and Publicity (2015-2023)”, Buhari was en route to Malta for a Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting when the aircraft experienced terrifying turbulence that lasted for an extended period.
According to the story, President Buhari was quite scared and questioned the pilot when the plane finally landed in Malta due to the extreme turbulence.
The report said: “A presidential jet is not immune from bad weather and the accompanying turbulence (many hours of that we experienced). Neither is it spared from what aviators call wind shear (a sudden change in the direction of the wind). We had a frightful experience).
“In November 2015, we had travelled to Malta to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, and it was an uneventful flight till the flight crew announced that we should get ready for landing.
“Few seconds from touching the tarmac, the Boeing 737 business jet got buffeted from all sides and began to sway dangerously. On touching down, it pirouetted and gyrated like a drunken sailor; and was almost turning over.
“What kind of landing is this?”, Buhari is reported to have queried the frightened pilot, who immediately apologized to the former president.
“We have just experienced what is called wind shear, a sudden change in the direction of wind. Apologies Mr. President, and distinguished passengers,” the scared pilot replied Buhari on touching down safely in Chapter 21 of the new book with the caption: “Over 50 foreign trips… and a health scare”.
The book lists 94 countries which Buhari visited officially during his eight-year tenure with the highest being 19 trips in 2016, 18 in 2022, 16 in 2015 and 12 in 2018.
