UPDATE: Buhari receives health minister, NCDC DG on coronavirus briefing

The Presidency on Saturday published photographs, which appeared to show President Muhammadu Buhari, in a meeting with the Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire and the Director-General of the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, at his official residence in Abuja.

The publishing of the pictures followed tweets by presidential spokesman announcing that Buhari had met the two officials to receive briefings on efforts to curtail COVID-19 pandemic in the country.

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The Personal Assistant to the President on New Media, Bashir Ahmad, initially tweeted: “President @MBuhari this afternoon, received briefings from Minister of Health, @DrEOEhanire and Director-General of @NCDCgov, Dr. @Chikwe_I as Nigeria intensifies and introduces new measures to curtail and prevent the spread of #COVID19 outbreak in the country. #COVID19Nigeria”

This was followed later by another tweet by Presidency Nigeria, and retweeted by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, who posted: “President @MBuhari receives #COVID19 briefing from Minister of Health @DrEOEhanire and DG @NCDCgov, @Chikwe_I at the State House | Saturday, March 28, 2020 #SocialDistancing #Coronavirus.”

When contacted to authentic the tweet, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, told Tribune Online that since it was tweeted by Ahmad, it was not likely to be fake.

“Since it was tweeted by Bashir, its not unlikely that it is true. But you can contact Bashir,” he said.

The tweets followed the controversy surrounding the location of the president who was reported to have tested negative to coronavirus (COVID-19) earlier in the week.

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