Presidency speaks on COVID-19 status of Buhari’s SSA Domestic

The Presidency has denied that President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, is down with COVID-19.

The Presidency spoke in a statement by the SSA to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, on Wednesday.

This followed an online report that Abba was down with COVID-19.

Shehu said: “The Presidency wishes to advise Nigerians to ignore determined agents of fake news bent on spreading false stories to the public.

“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.”