US Govt Debunks Fake News On Alleged Secretary Of State’s Statement On Atiku
The Oasis Reporters
February 22, 2019
The online statement ascribed to the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo, on the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has been debunked and described as fake.
Nigerian fake news merchants have shown enterprising dexterity in manufacturing news which are often passed off as statements from dignitaries, but are in fact, propaganda meant to advance a political position or cause.
The United States Diplomatic Mission to Nigeria, came up with a rebuttal that the online message attributed to Mike Pompeo, the United States Secretary of State is false.
.
The message was posted on its Facebook page in which the United States called on the public to disregard such message, stating unequivocally that it was fake news.
The controversial message attributed to the United States Secretary of State captioned as breaking news, read: “I personally refused to meet him or have anything to do with him (Atiku). I am really surprised that an individual indicted in the United States of America of huge corruption is being considered for Nigeria President and citizens are even supporting him.”
But the United States said: “#FakeNews Alert! The U.S. Mission to Nigeria has become aware of a material making the rounds online purporting to be from U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. We want to state unequivocally that the post is fake. If you have seen such manufactured item on Facebook, or received it via WhatsApp, please communicate that it is false.”
Nigerian government officials, including the main Opposition party, PDP, have often decried the publication of fake news Items which are considered injurious. Many Nigerians now take whatever is published online with a pinch of salt.
