Coronavirus: No presidential aide test positive - Garba

The Presidency has quashed rumors that some members of government in the State House are infected with the novel coronavirus.

This follows rife rumours that the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Social Affairs and Domestic Matters, Sarki Abba, had tested positive for COVID-19.

In a statement yesterday by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity Garba Shehu, the Presidency described the report as pure falsehood, The Nations reports.

It, however, advised the public as well as the mainstream media to ignore the report, revealing that the State House has made it a point of duty to consistently screen those working around the President.

It added that neither Abba, nor any other person had tested positive all along.

“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 the 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 Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, the Chief of Staff, all staff working for and around the President, are routinely and rigorously checked for the virus. 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.”