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New claims that Nigeria’s president Buhari died in 2017 are still false

A Facebook post published on 16 March 2019 claims Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari died in the United Kingdom.

Within days the post by the Onyeka Ekwenugo page had been shared over 67 times and garnered 16 comments and 34 reactions.

It reads: “CNN has finally released the demise of President Muhammadu Buhari which took place on 27 January 2017. This is the highest fraudulent act that has ever been committed in the land by Northern cabals and they should all be arrested by now.”



Post debunked in 2018


This isn’t the first time the message has made the rounds online.

AFP Fact Check rated the claim false back in November 2018. AFP said there was no evidence that Buhari had died and been replaced with a lookalike.

Photo digitally altered


The photo is not recent. The earliest online version we could find was from 16 November 2018, when it was tweeted with the comment: “Even world giant media reported the death of Buhari, only baboons and monkeys will continue jumping up and down saying the Sudanese in Aso rock is Buhari.”

Further reverse image searches show the photo has been digitally altered. In other photos, the same male broadcaster is shown reporting the deaths of prominent people in other countries. – Motunrayo Joel (24/05/19)

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