RismadarVoice Reporters
March 1, 2026
The Presidency has dismissed as false reports circulating on social media alleging that kitchen staff at the Aso Rock Presidential Villa were arrested over a purported plot to poison President Bola Tinubu.
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, refuted the claim on Sunday via his official X account, where he shared a video containing the allegation and described it as fake news.
The video, which purportedly showed activity within the Presidential Villa, featured a voiceover claiming that a presidential chef had been arrested following intelligence reports of suspicious food preparation activities within restricted areas.
It further alleged that a special police squad intervened and that heightened security measures were implemented within the presidential environment.
According to the narration in the video, the suspect described as a member of the kitchen staff attached to presidential services was taken into custody for questioning after authorities received what it called “credible reports” of a possible threat to the President’s safety.
The video also claimed that the operation was conducted discreetly to avoid public panic and that investigations were ongoing.
However, Onanuga categorically denied the allegations.
“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 wrote.
As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not provided further details regarding the origin of the video or the motives behind its circulation.
