The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has apologised to Nigerians and the world, for spreading fake news on the abducted Kankara boys.
Garba Shehu had a few days ago, reported that only 10 kankara boys were abducted from the Kankara Government Science Secondary School in Katsina, but a few hours after the abduction, the governor of the state, Governor Masari told the world that over 300 of the schoolboys were abducted.
The report on Friday, of the released of the over 300 abducted schoolboys, further put the Presidential spokesman in the spotlight, to have shared a piece of fake news on the actual number of schoolboys that were abducted.
Mr Garba Shehu after realizing this, and after receiving some bashing from Nigerians, took to his social media handle to apologise for the misinformation he had shared a few days ago. But in his apology tweet, he refused to take the blame for the fake news, saying he got the information from persons that ‘should ideally know’. He said:
“I apologize for the incorrect communication citing that only 10 students were kidnapped at the science school, Kankara.
This communication of numbers was provided by persons that should ideally know. These numbers were seen to conflict with what was available at that time,” he said.
Stating further, he said:
“Please understand that this communication was in no way done to downplay the seriousness of the situation.
Please accept my sincere apologies on this matter as we continue to move our great Nation Nigeria forward. Thank you,” he added.