Bayo Onanuga, special adviser to the president on information and strategy, has dismissed claims circulating online that kitchen staff at Aso Rock were arrested or attempted to poison President Bola Tinubu.
In a terse post on his X account on Sunday, Onanuga described the report as fake.
“No Aso Rock kitchen staff arrested. No Aso Rock kitchen staff attempted to poison President Tinubu. Please ignore this fake news being disseminated by this video,” Onanuga said.
The rumour, which gained traction on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and X, earlier on Sunday, was fueled by a 90-second video which had become viral.
The footage, a montage of unrelated scenes, including kitchen preparations, meetings with individuals in traditional attire, and vehicles arriving at a government building, features a voiceover narrating a story of an alleged security breach.
In the video, the narrator claims: “Today we examine reports surrounding the shocking arrest of a presidential chef over an alleged plot to poison President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, an incident that has prompted swift intervention by a special police squad and triggered heightened security measures within the presidential environment.
“According to preliminary information from security sources, the arrest followed intelligence alerts suggesting suspicious activities connected to food preparation procedures within restricted areas linked to presidential operations.
“Authorities moved quickly after receiving credible reports that indicated a possible threat to the safety of the president, leading to a coordinated investigation involving specialised security personnel tasked with protecting national leadership.
“Officials emphasized that the operation was carried out professionally and discreetly to avoid public panic while ensuring that all potential risks were neutralised.
“The suspect, identified as a member of kitchen staff attached to presidential services, was reportedly taken into custody for questioning as investigators began examining evidence and verifying claims connected to the alleged poisoning attempt
“Security agencies have urged the public to remain calm, stressing that the investigation remains ongoing and that allegations do not automatically imply guilt until due process.”
The video has amassed thousands of views across social media, with posts on Facebook and Instagram amplifying the unverified allegations, including claims of a “presidential chef” being detained.
Onanuga labeled the report as fake news and urged the public to disregard it.
