[NEWS] FG DEBUNKS ABUJA EXPLOSION REPORT, BLAMES DESPERATE OPPOSITION

The Federal Government has debunked the report being circulated on the
social media of a bomb explosion at the South African High Commission
in Abuja on Saturday, calling the report fake news orchestrated by the
desperate opposition to cause panic and chaos among the populace.

In a statement issued in Abuja on Saturday, the Minister of
Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the video of the
purported bomb explosion, which is being circulated on the social
media, is that of the bomb explosion at Emab Plaza, near Banex, in
Abuja on June 25 2014.

The Minister said it is now apparent that the desperate opposition has
decided to use fake news and disinformation as handy tools in their
avowed determination to make Nigeria ungovernable, having lost
woefully at the polls.

”A pattern is emerging of the antics of the desperate opposition to
latch on to the use of fake news and disinformation as a strategy to
trigger chaos in the country. On Friday (6 Sept 2019), they doctored
and circulated the video of my appearance on Channels Television in
January 2015 (when I was the spokesman of the APC) to make it look
like I was begging Nigerians to forgive President Buhari for not
having a school certificate. Worse still, they posted the video
afresh, giving the impression it happened last Thursday and that I
acted in my capacity as Minister of Information and Culture.

”Unfortunately for them, this doctored video came out on the same day
a report emerged that the PDP had sent lawyers and party agents to the
University of Cambridge to confirm the authenticity of the President’s
West African school certificate, only to be stunned to discover that
not only did the President write the examination, he also passed.

”One would have expected a party that trumpets its belief in the rule
of law, a party that challenged the result of the last presidential
election in court, to wait patiently for the impending judgement on the issue instead of engaging in underhand
tactics and resorting to self help,” he said.

Alhaji Mohammed appealed to Nigerians to be very discerning at this
time, and to check the veracity of any information they receive.

”This is just the beginning. Nigerians should expect an explosion of
fake news and disinformation in the days and weeks ahead. This is
because the desperation of this opposition is alarming. But their
strategy will fail, just like every other dubious strategy that they
have been employing in their desperate bid to grab power,” he said.

The Minister warned those behind the orchestrated fake news and
disinformation campaign to stop forthwith or be made to face the
music.