The Special Adviser to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, has debunked claims that a kitchen staff member at the Presidential Villa in Aso Rock, Abuja, was arrested over an alleged attempt to poison the president.
Onanuga, dismissed the report on Sunday, March 1, 2026, while reacting to a viral video on X that showed scenes purportedly from the Presidential Villa, accompanied by a voiceover alleging a security breach involving a presidential chef.
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.”
https://x.com/aonanuga1956/status/2028147022314836130
In the video, however, a narrator claimed that a presidential chef had been arrested over an alleged plot to poison the president, prompting swift intervention by a special police squad and heightened security measures within the Presidential Villa.
According to the narration, the arrest allegedly followed intelligence alerts suggesting suspicious activities linked to food preparation procedures within restricted areas connected to presidential operations. Authorities were said to have acted quickly on the reports, launching a coordinated investigation involving specialised security personnel tasked with protecting the president.
The narrator further alleged that the suspect, described as a kitchen staff member attached to presidential services, was taken into custody for questioning while investigators examined evidence and verified the claims surrounding the purported poisoning attempt. Security agencies were also said to have urged the public to remain calm, stressing that allegations do not imply guilt and that investigations were ongoing.
