Nigerian presidency on Wednesday refuted a media report that an aide to President Muhammadu Buhari, Sarki Abba, tested positive for COVID-19.
“We react to the utter falsehood and disgraceful lies, a report by the so-called digital newspaper which, Wednesday, claimed that President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide, Sarki Abba is COVID-19 positive,” presidential spokesman Garba Shehu said in a statement.
“This report is sheer fabrication and brazen effort by the online news medium to mislead the public.”
Sahara report on Tuesday published a story stating that Abba tested positive to COVID-19.
In the report, the online newspaper said it “learnt Abba tested positive for the virus two weeks ago and had not been seen in the Presidential Villa since then.
“Abba tested positive for COVID-19 two weeks ago but his current status as we speak is unknown, whether he has tested negative or not.”
Quoting an unnamed source in the presidency, the report said the president’s aide and those who came in contact with him were asked to self-isolate.
Refuting the report, Shehu said Abba tested negative to COVID-19 after a routine check carried out under the supervision of Buhari’s chief of staff, Ibrahim Gambari.
“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,” Shehu said.
