ABUJA, Nigeria — The Presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria has rejected claims circulating on social media that a kitchen staff member at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa attempted to poison Nigeria’s President, Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The allegation, which spread through a viral video online, claimed that a presidential chef had been arrested over an alleged poisoning plot targeting the Nigerian leader. The video suggested that security agencies had launched a discreet operation within the presidential complex in response to intelligence reports of suspicious activities linked to food preparation in restricted areas.
In the footage, a voiceover alleged, “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.”
The video further claimed that officials handled the matter carefully to prevent public panic and that a member of the kitchen staff had been taken into custody for questioning. It stated that security agencies urged calm and emphasised that allegations do not imply guilt.
However, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, publicly dismissed the report. Writing on his verified account on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, he described the claim as false.
He wrote, “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.”
The Aso Rock Presidential Villa in Abuja serves as the official residence and principal workplace of the President of Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country and largest economy. Security within the complex is managed by multiple agencies responsible for protecting the head of state and other senior government officials.
Okay News reports that the Presidency did not provide additional details about the source of the video or whether any investigation would be conducted into those responsible for circulating the claim.
The development highlights ongoing concerns about misinformation on social media in Nigeria and globally. False claims involving political leaders can spread rapidly online and often require swift official clarification to prevent confusion or public anxiety.
For now, Nigerian authorities maintain that no such poisoning attempt occurred and that no member of the presidential kitchen staff was arrested.
