President Muhammadu Buhari has debunked the news gaining currency in the social media that he is being cloned, describing it as “ignorant rumour”.
The president went further to assure Nigerians that his personage is not being usurped by another person.
He made this disclosure today in Krakow, Poland where he is currently attending Climate Change conference. Tweets of the president’s speech were posted on his Twitter handle.
“One of the questions that came up today in my meeting with Nigerians in Poland was on the issue of whether I‘ve been cloned or not.
“The ignorant rumours are not surprising — when I was away on medical vacation last year a lot of people hoped I was dead. I can assure you all that this is the real me,” he tweeted.
The President said he is going strong despite the rumour of death, and told the audience of his 76th birthday that would be celebrated later this month.
A number of high-profile public figures in Nigeria, including a former government minister, have claimed President Muhammadu Buhari is dead and is being imitated by a man called “Jubril” “from Sudan”.
This claim has gone viral on the social media, and several news websites have also reported it.
CrosscheckNigeria, a collaboration of newsrooms in Nigeria, which includes The ICIR, reported on Friday that there is no evidence to support the claim that Buhari was cloned or has a body double.
Ajibola Amzat, Managing Editor at The ICIR. He can be reached via [email protected]
and @ajibolaamzat on Twitter.