Buhari's Return On Hold; Doctors Refuse To Allow Powerful Men Take Him By Force

President Muhammadu Buhari's return to Nigeria was put off late last night because his doctors would not certify him healthy enough to return home despite strong pressure from the 'cabal'.

According to SR, presidency sources said the desperation to have him back was so much that the cabal sent to London on Friday the biggest jet in the presidential fleet, a Boeing Business Jet 737, known as "Airforce 001" to bring Buhari home anyhow.

It was learnt that they wanted to ferry him into Abuja before the closure of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on Wednesday.

In that connection, the smaller presidential jet which initially flew President Buhari to the UK was returned to Abuja the same day while the bigger jet was sent to London with a fresh crew. 

SR added that the return to Abuja last week of Buhari's powerful nephew, Mammam Daura, as well as one of his daughters, all heightened the political anxiety that President Buhari would return on Sunday evening.

The sources maintained that President Buhari’s doctors refused to give him the clean bill of health that would enable him to return.

In the meantime, media aides to the president have continued to issue statements claiming that President Buhari is making phone calls to world and Nigerian leaders and politicians.

This strategy is aimed at keeping Nigerians believing that the president is fully recovered from his ailments, but sources involved in Buhari's treatment say he is far from recovered, and his return date, and therefore his return to work, remains unclear.