March 01, (THEWILL) — President Bola Tinubu is safe and no member of the kitchen staff at the Presidential Villa was arrested over any alleged poisoning plot, the Presidency has said, dismissing as fabricated a viral story circulating on social media.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, debunked the claim in a post on his X account on Sunday, describing the report as fake news.
“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 wrote.
The rumour gained traction across social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X, after a 90-second video surfaced online alleging a security breach within the presidential environment.
The footage, a montage of unrelated clips showing kitchen activities, meetings with individuals in traditional attire, and vehicles arriving at what appears to be a government building, is accompanied by a dramatic voiceover narrating an alleged plot to poison the President.
In the video, the narrator claims that a “presidential chef” was arrested following intelligence reports of suspicious activities linked to food preparation in restricted areas connected to presidential operations.
It further alleges that a special police squad intervened and that heightened security measures were introduced within the Villa.
The voiceover also states that the unnamed suspect was taken into custody for questioning and that security agencies had launched a coordinated investigation into the alleged poisoning attempt, while urging the public to remain calm as the matter was being handled discreetly.
However, no security agency has issued any statement confirming such an arrest or investigation.
The viral clip has since amassed thousands of views, with several posts amplifying the unverified allegations and suggesting that a member of the kitchen staff attached to presidential services had been detained.
Reiterating its position, the Presidency urged Nigerians to disregard the misleading content, stressing that there was no security breach at the Presidential Villa and that the President continues to carry out his official duties without incident.
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