According to the sources, the Caribbean island’s role in this arrangement is linked to the influence of Gilbert Chagoury, a close associate of President Tinubu and the Honorary Consul of Saint Lucia to the Vatican.

President Bola Tinubu’s ongoing visit to Saint Lucia is serving as a strategic cover for a discreet medical consultation, sources familiar with the matter have told SaharaReporters.

According to the sources, the Caribbean island’s role in this arrangement is linked to the influence of Gilbert Chagoury, a close associate of President Tinubu and the Honorary Consul of Saint Lucia to the Vatican.

Chagoury is believed to have facilitated the logistics of the visit in a manner similar to how Tinubu was previously invited to attend the inauguration of Pope Leo XIV, who was inaugurated on Sunday, May 18, 2025, with a Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican.

According to the government sources, the visit to Saint Lucia offered the ideal opportunity for Tinubu’s medical team to meet with him away from the attention of Nigerian media and public scrutiny.

“It’s a clever decoy,” one source said, “The only reason why President Tinubu is in St. Lucia is that it provides a good decoy to arrange for his doctors to meet him without the prying eyes of Nigerian journalists since Gilbert Chagouri is the Honorary Consul of St Lucia to the Vatican.”

“It was the same route they used to arrange his invitation to the inauguration of Pope Leo.

President Tinubu’s recent medical trips have mostly been to France, but these often sparked public outcry and speculation due to his perceived lack of transparency regarding his health status.

Critics have argued that the frequent medical visits abroad stand in contrast to his administration’s promises to improve Nigeria’s healthcare system.

Presidency Defends Saint Lucia Trip

The Presidency, however, has publicly stated that Tinubu’s state visit to Saint Lucia is part of efforts to strengthen ties between Nigeria and the Caribbean nation and others in the region, particularly in line with Nigeria’s “Four D’s” foreign policy framework—Democracy, Development, Diaspora, and Demography.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the Presidency highlighted Saint Lucia’s deep ancestral links with Nigeria, citing waves of Nigerian migrants who settled in the island nation in the 19th century.

According to the statement, residents of Saint Lucia have expressed excitement over Tinubu’s visit and a strong desire to strengthen ancestral and diplomatic ties with Africa.

The island nation, which serves as the headquarters of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) and a gateway to the 15-member CARICOM bloc—with a combined GDP of over $130 billion—offers key economic and diplomatic opportunities, Onanuga said.

A Pattern of Medical Trips

Shortly after his election in March 2023, SaharaReporters exclusively revealed that Bola Tinubu had been flown to France for medical treatment following a period of intense and physically demanding campaigning. The trip, which took place on March 21, came on the heels of a viral video showing Tinubu exhibiting signs of ill health, fueling widespread speculation about his condition. He remained abroad for over a month and returned to Nigeria on April 24, 2023.

Barely two weeks later, on May 9, 2023, SaharaReporters again reported exclusively that Tinubu was scheduled to return to France that night for another round of medical consultations ahead of his May 29 inauguration. According to insider information obtained by the outlet, Tinubu planned to travel discreetly at night and return to Nigeria before the swearing-in ceremony.

The following day, May 10, the Office of the then President-elect confirmed the report, issuing a statement through Tunde Rahman that Tinubu had departed for Europe on what was described as a "working visit."

However, sources who spoke to SaharaReporters maintained that the stated reason was a smokescreen and that Tinubu’s real purpose for the trip was to consult with his medical team in France.

According to the statement issued, Tinubu would “use the opportunity of the trip to finetune the transition plans and programmes, and his policy options with some of his key aides without unnecessary pressures and distractions”.

In June 2023, barely a month after assuming office, Tinubu travelled to France for the New Global Financial Pact Summit, his first international trip as president. While the official reason for this trip was diplomatic, sources reported that Tinubu had received medical treatment during his stay.

Then, on January 24, 2024, the president embarked on what was described as a ‘private visit,’ but multiple sources confirmed that it was for medical care. This trip lasted 13 days, during which he reportedly sought treatment from his doctors in France.

On May 2, 2024, SaharaReporters reported that Tinubu had again landed in France.

The President's trip to France came a few days after his trip to Saudi Arabia officially ended following the conclusion of the World Economic Forum in Riyadh. Investigation by SaharaReporters showed that the President first went to London, England, from Saudi Arabia, and then left the UK for France.

Therefore, Tinubu made a secretive visit to France after attending the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia. He briefly stopped in London before flying to Paris, with sources indicating that this trip was also for medical reasons.

In August 2024, the president returned to France again, this time on a ‘private visit,’ using a newly acquired presidential jet. Despite official statements indicating a short work stay, it was widely believed that this trip had a medical component as well.

By November 2024, Tinubu made a "state visit" to France at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, but this too coincided with unconfirmed reports of him receiving medical treatment.

More recently, in February 2025, Tinubu travelled to France for another "private visit," which was later revealed to be a medical trip. Just two months later, in April 2025, he departed once again for a two-week “working visit.”

The frequency of these trips has raised growing concerns among Nigerians regarding the transparency of the president’s health status and his capacity to discharge his duties effectively.

While the presidency insists the trips are either routine official engagements or personal visits, critics argue that the recurring pattern points to a possible ongoing medical condition that warrants closer public scrutiny.

A review of data from the Open Treasury Portal by SaharaReporters in February 2025 revealed that the Tinubu presidency spent N36 billion on international travel in 2024.

According to the State House Headquarters expenditure breakdown, N12.2 billion was allocated to "international travel and transport (training)," while N24.19 billion was spent on "international travel and transport (others)."

N36.3 Billion Spent On International Travels In 2024

In total, the State House headquarters spent N36.3 billion on international travels during the 2024 fiscal year.

Additionally, local travel and transport costs were substantial, with N15.8 billion spent on "local travel and transport (training)" and N31.2 billion on "local travel and transport (others)."

Altogether, the combined total for both local and international travel amounted to N83 billion, according to data from the Open Treasury Portal.

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