The presidency on Saturday denied the rumoured death of President Mohammadu Buhari saying there was no truth in the news.
Buhari had on Thursday travelled to London, United Kingdom, after writing to the National Assembly that he would be proceeding on a vacation and that Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo would be performing the duties of the President while he was away.
There was apprehension in the Federal Capital Abuja and most Northern cities on Saturday as the rumours gained ground that President Muhammadu Buhari had passed on at a London hospital where he was said to be receiving treatment.
An online medium, metro-uk.com had published a story that the President was dead. Quoting sources from the Nigerian High Commission in UK, the medium said “President Muhammadu Buhari had passed on at a London hospital where he was said to be receiving treatment.
The rumour soon spread like wild fire in different parts of the country with many Nigerians making frantic phone calls to ascertain the story’s accuracy.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, described the report as ‘hogwash’
Adesina also denied the report on his Twitter handle, praying for those behind it to repent.
“Best wishes to all who wish PMB well. As for those who carry evil rumours, may they receive grace to repent,” he said.
The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, also took to his Twitter handle to deny the report.
Shehu wrote, “He is alive and well. President Buhari is not magical. He cannot be holidaying in the UK and be in Germany, dead or alive at the same time.
“He is unlike a past president, who was at Ota with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and attending the Trump inauguration in DC, being in two places at the same time.”
While the rumour spread on Saturday, the President’s family members were unperturbed in Aso Rock.
