Presidency Dismisses Viral Videos of Alleged Attack on Tinubu’s Convoy at Abuja Mosque

​ABUJA — The Presidency has strongly refuted circulating social media claims that President Bola Tinubu’s convoy was pelted with stones by angry youths following Friday prayers at the Shehu Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1, Abuja.

​The controversy erupted late Friday after opposition figures, including African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain Dino Melaye, shared footage online depicting youths throwing objects toward a vehicle fleet. In the widely shared clips, individuals could be heard chanting “Ba ma yi, ba ma so”—a Hausa phrase translating to “we don’t want you, we don’t support you”—triggering widespread public debate across digital platforms.

​However, reacting swiftly to quell the narrative, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, O’tega Ogra, dismissed the reports as a fabricated propaganda campaign orchestrated by political opponents.

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​To counter the claims, Ogra released alternative video footage capturing the President’s actual departure from the sacred grounds. The counter-footage shows President Tinubu, attired in a pristine white outfit and black cap, waving cordially to a receptive crowd of worshippers who cheered and captured the moment with their mobile phones as he stepped into his official vehicle.

​Insisting that the viral negative clips featured allegedly hired agitators rather than genuine worshippers, the presidential aide maintained that the atmosphere at the mosque remained largely cordial. The incident has since sparked renewed conversations regarding political communication, public sentiment, and online disinformation as the nation edges closer to the 2027 general elections.