The Presidency has described trending video of alleged plans to poison President Bola Tinubu as fake and baseless.
BusinessDay checks show that the viral video has been trending on Facebook and other social media handles, since Sunday.
But investigation show that the report which alleges that an unnamed chef at the State House, Abuja, had been arrested in connection with the purported plot to poison President has no basis.
Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, described the video as “fake news,” stressing that the story was entirely fabricated and should be disregarded.
Onanuga dismissed the viral video and urged the Media to always verify information before going public.
The video which is spreading fast created concern. The video had alleged that a special police squad was deployed, leading to tightened security around the presidential environment.
But dismissing video, Onanuga urged Nigerians to discountenance such claims of threats to the President’s safety.
prompting a coordinated investigation by security personnel tasked with protecting national leadership, adding that ” the President is very safe’
The content also suggested that the unnamed kitchen staff was taken into custody for questioning while authorities examined evidence related to the alleged poisoning attempt.
He urged the public to rely on official communication channels for verified information, warning against the spread of unsubstantiated reports capable of causing unnecessary panic.
The clarification became necessary as some social Media online platforms had alleged that a member of the kitchen staff at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, had been apprehended in connection with an alleged attempt to poison the President.
But the reports had cited no credible source or verifiable details, quickly gained traction on social media, sparking speculation and concern among members of the public.
Onanuga stressed the need for verification to avoid spreading unverified reports capable of undermining public confidence in state institutions.
