The Presidency has refuted claims that a member of the kitchen staff at Aso Rock Presidential Villa was arrested for allegedly attempting to poison President Bola Tinubu.
The denial came from the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, on Sunday, March 1. Onanuga addressed a video circulating online, which purportedly showed scenes from the presidential villa with a voiceover alleging a security breach involving a presidential chef.
In the video, the narrator claimed that a chef had been arrested after intelligence reports suggested suspicious activities in food preparation, prompting a special police intervention and heightened security measures. The footage described a coordinated investigation by specialised security personnel, emphasizing that the operation was conducted discreetly to neutralize potential risks, while the suspect was allegedly taken in for questioning. The narrator urged the public to remain calm, noting that the investigation was ongoing and that allegations did not imply guilt.
Onanuga, however, dismissed the video as false. “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,” he stated.
This clarification underscores that the reports circulating online are baseless and should not be taken as fact.