The Presidency has rejected reports that President Bola Tinubu’s convoy came under attack after he attended Friday prayers at a mosque in Abuja, describing circulating videos as a misleading narrative pushed by the opposition.
O’tega Ogra, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, on Friday dismissed claims that youths stoned the presidential convoy following Juma’at prayers at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1, Garki.
Viral videos shared on social media, including one posted by African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dino Melaye, showed groups of young people throwing objects at vehicles believed to be part of the presidential convoy. In the clips, some of the youths could be heard chanting “Ba ma yi, ba ma so,” a Hausa expression meaning “we don’t want you; we don’t support you.” Other reports mentioned additional slogans such as “Tinubu Must Go” and the tearing down of All Progressives Congress (APC) posters. Security operatives were seen responding as the convoy departed.
Responding on his X handle, Ogra released alternative footage of the President leaving the mosque. In the video, Tinubu, dressed in white with a black cap bearing his traditional insignia, is seen waving to people gathered nearby who appeared to be hailing him and taking photographs as he approached his official vehicle.
“Contrary to the narrative being pushed by the opposition, with videos of their alleged paid thugs at the National Mosque today, here is footage of Mr President leaving the mosque after Friday prayers this afternoon,” Ogra wrote. He accused opposition elements of promoting a false account of the visit.
Some reports also quoted presidential media aide Bayo Onanuga as denying the claims, stating simply that they were “not true.”
The controversy arose on the same day President Tinubu issued a personally signed statement cautioning politicians and their supporters against political violence as preparations for the 2027 general elections gather momentum. In the statement, the President condemned incidents of thuggery at political gatherings and authorised security agencies to confront such activities with full force. He stressed that campaigns should focus on competing ideas and policies rather than intimidation or violence.
The Presidency has maintained that the President’s departure from the mosque was peaceful and that the videos being circulated do not accurately reflect the events. Conflicting accounts of the Friday incident have continued to generate debate online.
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