Covid-19: Atiku denies N10,000 weekly allowance report

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has described as fake news the notice on social media that he is planning to give every citizen of Nigeria N10,000 weekly allowance to cushion the effect of the lockdown announced by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus.

A notice has been in circulation on social media that the former VP is set to put “smiles on the face of every Nigerian citizen by doing what the federal government has failed to do”.

The statement circulated on social media and Whatsapp reads:

“THIS IS NOT A JOKE.

ABUBAKAR ATIKU IS SET TO PUT A SMILE ON EVERY NIGERIAN CITIZENS FACE.

HE WANTS TO DO WHAT FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FAILED TO DO!

FG Promised To Pay 8500 to Weekly Allowance To Nigerians During The Pandenmic But Failed. In a Bid To Control The Spread

Now Atiku is Set To Put A smile On Our Face. All Nigerian Citizens Are Entitled To 10000 weekly allowance just to Stay Safe.

CLICK TO APPLY 👇👇👇

http://atikufoundationfund.online/”

Paul Ibe, the media adviser to the 2019 presidential candidate, however noted that such information is fake.

He made this known via his Twitter handle @omonlakiki

I wish to bring to the attention of Nigerians that the notice circulating on social media directing unsuspecting people to a link is FAKE and not connected to the former Vice President @atiku. For the avoidance of doubt, it is a SCAM. @NGRPolice @officialEFCC @StateDeptDSS pic.twitter.com/vUtKGJQJgz

— Justice Paul Ibe (Affidavit) (@omonlakiki) April 1, 2020

“I wish to bring to the attention of Nigerians that the notice circulating on social media directing unsuspecting people to a link is FAKE and not connected to the former Vice President. For the avoidance of doubt, it is a SCAM@NGRPolice @officialEFCC
@StateDeptDSS”

Nigerians are hereby advised to verify all information before sharing on social media.

The FG has also warned that cybercrime and fraud may increase on account of the lockdown imposed across the country to contain the coronavirus pandemic.

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu,  said intelligence obtained from the International Criminal Police Organisation headquarters in Lyon, France, indicated that Internet fraud and other criminal activities were expected to rise at this time.