Agency Report/
President Muhammadu Buhari and hundreds of Muslims on Friday observed the weekly two raka’at prayer at the Aso Rock Mosque, Abuja.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that presidential aides, some cabinet ministers and former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, were among the personalities at the mosque.
NAN also observed that today’s Friday prayer witnessed seemingly unprecedented number of faithful in what appeared to be an attempt by some curious worshippers to confirm the veracity of social media allegation of Buhari’s marriage to a second wife.
NAN reports that on October 10, a social media story on President Buhari getting set to marry the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouq, as the second wife, went viral.
The media post, which stated October 11 as the wedding date, was also widely circulated on the social media with Facebook and Twitter users aiding its circulation.
However, President Buhari only exchanged pleasantries with citizens after the prayer session.
Some of the worshippers who spoke to NAN on the incident berated the originators of the fake wedding story which dominated the social media for days.
A respondent, Aliyu Mudi, condemned those behind the fake news, calling on well-meaning citizens to always shun unverified social media reports.
Another social media commentator, Malam Siddique, called on the Federal Government to do something about fake news in the social media “before it is too late.’’
The President’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, was, on Friday, quoted by the Tribune Online dismissing the news, saying it is “a deceptive manoeuvre by those who fabricated the news.”
NAN also reports that the minister mentioned in the fake marriage, Hajiya Sadiya Umar Farouk, who is currently in Switzerland on official assignment, posted on her twitter handle saying the news was far from the truth.
“Dear Nigerians, please kindly ignore all rumours as this is not true.
“We are currently completely focused on making sure we have a better Nigeria.
“Let’s continue to pray for our dear country Nigeria. God bless,’’ she said.
*NAN
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