Like Trump, here's how Buhari survived assassination attempt before 2015 election

The Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election suffered minor injuries when a sniper, identified as Thomas Crooks, took multiple shots at him at a campaign rally on July 13.

The attack is a reminder of the kind of danger political leaders face around the world, including in Nigeria.

Nearly 10 years ago, on July 23, 2014, Muhammadu Buhari survived a bomb attack that took place in Kaduna, just under a year before he was elected president.

At least 50 people were reportedly killed in twin bomb blasts that happened while the former military general was travelling through the Kawo area of Kaduna State while he was on his way to his native Daura in Katsina State.

The bomb attack happened just two hours and two kilometres away from where an Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, was also reportedly targeted in another bomb attack.

Three aides and security men attached to Buhari during the blast were some of the several people who were injured.

An eyewitness told Vanguard that a man in a Sienna car had trailed Buhari’s convoy and came very close to his bulletproof vehicle before the bomb exploded.

In a statement Buhari himself signed in the aftermath of the attack, he alleged that it was an assassination attempt.

He said, “I was personally involved in a clearly targeted bomb attack along Ali Akilu Road, Kawo-Kaduna at about 2:30 pm on my way to Daura.

“The unfortunate event, clearly an assassination attempt, came from a fast-moving vehicle that made many attempts to overtake my security car but was blocked by my escort vehicle.

“We reached the market area of Kawo where he attempted to take advantage of our slowing down and attempted to ram my car and instantly detonated the bomb, which destroyed all the three vehicles in our convoy.

“Unfortunately, when I came out of my vehicle, I saw many dead bodies littered around. They were innocent people going about their daily businesses who became victims of mass murder.

“Thank God for His mercy, I came out unhurt but with three of my security staff sustaining minor injuries – they have since been treated in the hospital and discharged.”

The attack was widely believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram, the terrorist group Buhari vowed to defeat if he was elected president.

Then-president, Goodluck Jonathan, condemned the attack which he said was committed by “terrorists and enemies of the nation in an odious attempt to inflame passions and exacerbate disquiet, fear, insecurity and sectional divisions in the country.”

Buhari went on to emerge as the flag bearer for the All Progressives’ Congress (APC) and defeated Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election.