Legendary newspaper Daily Mail has accused President’ Muhammadu Buhari of hypocrisy ahead of the Nigerian leader’s London trip to participate in an anti-corruption summit. In a story that has sparked a debate on social media in Nigeria, the famous tabloid cited instances to show that Buhari may not be practising what he preaches.

Daily Mail lamented that the British “Government (is) giving nearly £250m in (the) coming year to oil-rich Nigeria” while “their president sends his daughter to a top school in England” and “Nigeria has the highest-paid government officials in the world.”

The story reads: “The presence of Nigeria’s president at David Cameron’s anti-corruption summit this week may surprise many in his nation – which receives vast amounts of UK aid.

Self-proclaimed ‘People’s President’ Muhammadu Buhari began a war on corruption after taking power last year, but critics allege it is a political witch-hunt.

“The Government is giving nearly £250 million in the coming year to oil-rich Nigeria, whose president sends his daughter to a £26,000-a-year English school.

“In April the opposition PDP party unearthed a ticket stub showing Hanan, 16, had flown first-class from London to Nigeria, despite her father’s ban on officials using premium travel.

“And a Nigerian newspaper claimed Mr Buhari has spent £150,000 on educating his daughter Zahra, a Surrey University student.

“The president is reported to have failed to give a full account of his worth, but even his partial admission included more than £1 million in the bank, five houses and two plots of land.

“Supporters say 49 arrests of members of the previous regime show the anti-corruption war is genuine, but opponents say it is politically driven.

“Nigeria has the highest-paid government officials in the world but is one of the largest beneficiaries of UK foreign aid.

“The president of its senate, Bukola Saraki, is due to face trial on corruption charges after it emerged he has a £6 million London property in his wife’s name.

“The Nigerian Embassy did not comment.”

•Photo shows President Buhari.

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