Garba Shehu Confesses: Rat Infestation Story Was a Lie to Hide Buhari’s Health Crisis

By Emmanuel Kwada

In a shocking revelation, Garba Shehu, former spokesperson for ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has admitted to fabricating a story about rats damaging the president’s office in 2017 to divert attention from serious concerns about Buhari’s health.

The confession, detailed in Shehu’s newly released book, According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience, has sparked outrage over the deliberate spread of fake news by a senior government official.

In the book’s chapter titled “Rats, Spin and All That,” Shehu recounts how, shortly after Buhari’s return from medical treatment abroad, questions arose about why the president was working from home rather than resuming office duties.

To deflect scrutiny over Buhari’s health and fitness to lead, Shehu concocted a narrative about rats damaging cables in the president’s office, which had been unused for months.

“I picked up a conversation in the office of the CoS, where a damage to a cable was noticed,” Shehu writes. “Someone speculated that rats may have caused that damage. When calls surged for an explanation, I told reporters the office needed renovation because rats may have eaten and damaged some cables.”

I picked up a conversation in the office of the CoS, where a damage to a cable was noticed

Shehu admits the story was a deliberate “spin” to shift public discourse away from Buhari’s health crisis. When confronted by then-Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Minister of Information Lai Mohammed about the false narrative, Shehu defended his actions, stating, “I wanted the discussion to move to any other issue besides the president’s health and his ability to continue in office.” However, both Osinbajo and Mohammed disagreed, calling the tactic misguided.

The revelation, coming years after the 2017 incident, confirms long-held suspicions that the rat infestation story was a ploy to manipulate public perception. It also underscores a pattern of misinformation, as Shehu was previously accused of spreading fake news on multiple occasions during his tenure.

I wanted the discussion to move to any other issue besides the president’s health and his ability to continue in office.

This confession has reignited debates about transparency and accountability in governance, with critics slamming the use of fabricated stories to obscure critical issues.

Shehu’s admission exposes the lengths to which government officials went to control narratives, raising fresh questions about trust in public institutions during Buhari’s administration.