Presidency: No Buhari’s Aide Tested Positive to COVID-19

The presidency yesterday advised Nigerians to ignore a report by an online medium that a presidential Aide, Sarki Abba, tested positive to COVID-19, describing it as fake news.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, said presidential aides always go through routine COVID-19 test, adding that Abba, who is a Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs, has always tested negative to the virus.

According to the statement, the report was meant to mislead the public and create needless anxiety about the president’s safety.

Shehu also described the publication as yellow journalism and advised the general public not to allow itself to be manipulated to believing falsehood.

“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.