Controversy trails fake CBN press release posted on Aisha Buhari’s social media page

A press release purportedly from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), posted on the Facebook page of First Lady, Aisha Buhari on Tuesday, has generated a lot of controversies.

The release which bears the signature of the Director of Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, Osita Nwanisobi, and dated February 20, stated that “after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, the CBN has been directed to reissue and recirculate the old N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes and this is expected to circulate as legal tender for 70 days up to May 1, 2023.”

However, curious Nigerians questioned why the press release should be posted on the First Lady’s page instead of coming out from the CBN directly.
The post was however quickly deleted, after eyebrows were raised.

Read also:Aisha Buhari reacts to El-Rufai’s claim on Aso Rock gang up against Tinubu

The apex bank also swiftly issued a statement denying the purported circular, and tagging it as ‘Fake News’.

In the rebuttal by the CBN entitled “Please be wary of fake news”, the bank said the press release did not emanate from it as the earlier directive by Buhari on February 16, mandating that only the old N200 notes are to be in use alongside the new notes still stands while the N500 and N1000 notes are no longer legal tender in Nigeria.

Sources in the Presidency have also told Ripples Nigeria that the said circular could not have come from Mrs Buhari as she had deactivated her Facebook account over two years ago.

An aide in the Presidency who spoke on condition of anonymity, claimed the page, though verified, is not run by the First Lady but by some scrupulous individuals out to tarnish her image and that of the President.

Below are screen grabs of the press release on Mrs Buhari’s Facebook page before it was deleted, and the CBN rebuttal.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now