The Presidency has come out to rubbish the story that some youths attacked the convoy of President Bola Tinubu in Abuja.

The claim came after a video started going round on Friday, showing a group of young men throwing stones at a motorcade many believed belonged to the President.

Reacting to the clip, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Digital Engagement, Strategy and New Media, O’tega Ogra, said what was being shared online is false.

According to him, the video does not reflect what actually took place after the President observed Juma’at prayers at the Shagari Central Mosque in Area 1.

In the trending clip, some of the youths could be heard shouting “Ba ma yi, ba ma so.” In Hausa, that means “we do not want you, we do not support you.” They were also seen throwing stones in the direction of the convoy.

Ogra said the whole narrative was put together by the opposition.

He took to his X page on Friday to share a different video. The new footage showed Tinubu coming out of the mosque after prayers, waving at supporters and walking calmly to his official car.

The President was seen in a white outfit with a black cap carrying his traditional insignia. Supporters around him were waving and taking pictures as he moved.

“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 in the post.

He maintained that Tinubu left the mosque without any incident and was not attacked by anybody.

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Vincent Magwenya, spokesperson to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, has faulted Nigeria’s Ambassador to South Africa, Femi Fani-Kayode, over his handling of a controversy surrounding the livestream of his presentation of letters of credence.

Magwenya, in a statement, accused Fani-Kayode of misrepresenting Ramaphosa’s involvement in the incident, insisting that the South African President had no role in the operational affairs of the South African Broadcasting Corporation, SABC.

Fani-Kayode had earlier alleged that the South African Presidency deliberately excluded him and the Nigerian delegation from the livestream of a ceremony where 15 ambassadors presented their letters of credence to Ramaphosa in Pretoria.

He claimed that Nigeria was the only country whose ambassador’s introduction and speech were omitted from the broadcast. He also said he raised the issue directly with Ramaphosa, who subsequently summoned relevant officials and directed them to address the matter.

The Nigerian ambassador further disclosed that he declined an interview offered by SABC News in protest over what he described as the poor treatment of the Nigerian delegation.

However, hours after the controversy, the South African Presidency released the full video of the ceremony on its YouTube page, with Fani-Kayode’s speech included. This came after the initial livestream had omitted his introduction and address before resuming after his speech.

Reacting to the incident, Magwenya said Ramaphosa merely referred Fani-Kayode to Sophie Mokoena, whom he described as the appropriate person to address his grievance.

“Your Excellency, you refused to speak to Sophie Mokoena, who would have cleared the misunderstanding with you,” Magwenya stated.

He maintained that the President had no authority to interfere in the broadcaster’s operations or editorial decisions.

“The President carries no legal or political mandate to interfere with its operations or intervene in its editorial processes,” he said.

Magwenya also described Fani-Kayode’s handling of the matter as “grossly inappropriate” and urged him to meet with SABC officials to establish a “mutually beneficial, respectful and professional relationship” as he begins his diplomatic assignment in South Africa.

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More than 1,260 people have died from diphtheria in Nigeria since the disease outbreak started in late 2022, while suspected infections have surpassed 41,000, according to Médecins Sans Frontières.

The international medical humanitarian organisation, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said the country had also recorded more than 24,000 confirmed cases, warning that dwindling supplies of life-saving medication and inadequate vaccination were making the situation increasingly dangerous.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by MSF Field Communication Officer, Abdulkareem Yakubu.

The organisation disclosed that between January and August 9, 2026, Nigeria recorded 12,977 suspected infections, 10,476 confirmed cases and 406 deaths.

It said the outbreak remained a major concern in northern Nigeria, particularly in Bauchi, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

MSF Medical Coordinator in Nigeria, Dr David Kizito, warned that the international shortage of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT) was threatening the survival of infected patients, adding that the organisation’s remaining stocks were critically low.

He explained that the medication works by neutralising the toxin released by the bacteria responsible for diphtheria and offers the greatest benefit when administered within 48 hours of the first symptoms.

MSF said limited availability of the antitoxin had compelled its medical teams to carefully allocate existing supplies, a situation that could affect patients who urgently need treatment.

The organisation appealed to the Federal Government, state governments, donors and international partners to take immediate steps to obtain antitoxin, vaccines and other essential medicines.

It also stressed the need to speed up the clearance of medical supplies at Nigerian ports and ensure they reach health facilities and vulnerable communities without unnecessary delays.

Nationwide, MSF said it had provided treatment to more than 9,000 diphtheria patients through health facilities and community-based interventions since the start of its response this year.

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