Presidency: No aide of Buhari tests positive for COVID-19

An online medium had reported on Tuesday the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhmmadu Buhari on Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, had tested positive for COVID-19.

But Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Mallam, Garba Shehu, in a statement on Wednesday, described the report as pure falsehood.

It, however, advised the general public, as well as the mainstream media to ignore the report, revealing further the State House has made it a point of duty to consistently screen those working around the President.

It added neither Abba nor any other person had tested positive all along.

“The Presidency wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore determined agents of fake news bent on spreading false stories to the public.

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“We react to the utter falsehood and disgraceful lies, a report by so-called digital newspaper which, Wednesday, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Sarki Abba is COVID-19 positive.

“This report is sheer fabrication and brazen effort by the online news medium to mislead the public.

“Upon the directive of doctors and scientists and supervision of Professor Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, all staff working for and around the President, are routinely and rigorously checked for the virus. The Senior Special Assistant, Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, always tested negative.

“The general public is hereby advised to ignore such stories that are intended to mislead the people and create unnecessary anxiety about the safety of the President.

“Don’t let yourself to be manipulated by any medium that thrives on yellow journalism and specialises in peddling fake news in the desperate quest for the market and donor money”, the statement said.