Presidency denies report Buhari’s aide tested positive for COVID-19

Yusuf Bello| The presidency on Wednesday denied reports that a close aide of President Muhammadu Buhari tested positive for COVID-19.

The report, first published by SaharaReporters, said, a senior special assistant on social affairs and domestic matters to the President, Sarki Abba, tested positive for Coronavirus two weeks ago.

But in a statement, presidential spokesperson, Garba Shehu, who said the report on Mr Abba was not correct, disclosed that all staff working with the President are rigorously checked from time to time to ensure his safety.

The statement read, “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”.

Abba Kyari, former Chief of Staff to the president, tested positive to the virus in March and later died from complications related to the disease.