The Presidency has denied a media report that claimed that the Senior Special Assistant, Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, has tested positive for COVID-19.
A report had emerged on Tuesday suggesting that Sarki tested positive for the virus about two weeks ago and his condition remained unknown.
But the Presidency has now dismissed the report as fake news, urging Nigerians to ignore it as it posited that the presidential aide had always tested negative for the disease.
A statement issued by Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity) in Abuja on Wednesday read: “The Presidency wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore determined agents of fake news bent on spreading false stories to the public.
“We react to the utter falsehood and disgraceful lies, a report by a so-called digital newspaper which, Tuesday, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Sarki Abba is COVID-19 positive.
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“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.”
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and then