THE Presidency has debunked rumour that Sarki Abba, Senior Special Assistant on Domestic Affairs to President Muhammadu Buhari, has tested positive for COVID-19.
A report by Sahara Reporters had claimed that a source from the Presidency said that Abba tested positive for the virus and has since been asked to go on isolation.
Garba Shehu, Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media & Publicity, said in a statement on Wednesday that Nigerians should ignore the report as it was a total fabrication and not true.
He noted that under the directive and supervision of Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff to the President, all the staff of the President are tasked and routinely checked by doctors for the virus, stating that Abba has always tested negative for the virus.
“The Presidency wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore determined agents of fake news bent on spreading false stories to the public,” Shehu said in the statement.
“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,” he added.
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