By Achile Danjuma
The Nigerian Presidency has officially dismissed as completely false the alarming reports circulating on social media alleging that a member of the State House kitchen staff was arrested for attempting to poison President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a firm rebuttal issued on Sunday, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, described the viral video and the accompanying narrative as malicious and entirely unfounded.
“Please disregard the fake news currently circulating,” Mr. Onanuga stated. “No staff member of the Aso Rock Villa kitchen has been arrested. No such staff member attempted to poison President Tinubu. The public is urged to ignore this fabricated story being spread via the video in question.”
The denial comes in response to unverified reports that emerged earlier on Sunday, March 1, which alleged a plot to harm the President through food poisoning. The Presidency’s statement serves to assure the public of the President’s safety and to clamp down on the dissemination of misinformation regarding the security of the Villa.