Rats invasion of presidential villa, a calculated fabrication aimed at distracting Nigerians – Buhari spokesman

Garba Shehu, former media aide to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, has revealed that the widely circulated story about rats overrunning the Presidential Villa was a calculated fabrication aimed at distracting Nigerians from Buhari’s health challenges.

In his newly released book, According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience, launched on Tuesday in Abuja, Shehu confessed that he deliberately planted the narrative to divert public focus away from growing concerns over the president’s medical condition and ability to lead.

Shehu recounted how the situation unfolded in 2017, when President Buhari returned to Nigeria on August 19 after spending nearly three months in the UK receiving medical treatment.

During his absence, IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu had publicly claimed Buhari had died and been replaced by a Sudanese clone named Jibrin. The bizarre allegation gained traction, particularly after the Presidency announced that Buhari would be working from home rather than his official office at the Villa—a move that fueled suspicions and conspiracy theories.

According to Shehu, Chapter 10 of his book—titled “Rats, Spin and All That”—explains the origin of the now-infamous rat story.

He said the idea came to him during an informal discussion in the Chief of Staff’s office, where officials noted damage to some cables, likely due to the president’s office being unused for an extended period. One person casually suggested that rats might have caused the damage.

Sensing an opportunity to steer public discourse, Shehu told the press that rats had invaded Buhari’s office during his medical leave, damaging furniture and air conditioning units, which necessitated renovations and led to the decision for the president to work from home.

“The story went viral and even made it to the top five news items on BBC World News,” Shehu wrote. “Calls from reporters poured in, with many—including BBC Hausa—pressing for details on the species of rats capable of such destruction.”

To deflect further scrutiny, Shehu said he referenced an episode from the 1980s when ‘unusual’ rats reportedly arrived in Nigeria aboard rice-laden ships from Southeast Asia—rodents known for eating almost anything.

While some found the story humorous and others accused him of masking the truth, Shehu stood by his strategy. He revealed that even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and then-Information Minister Lai Mohammed later questioned his decision.

“I told them it was intentional,” Shehu said. “The aim was to change the conversation—from doubts about the president’s health to something less damaging. In my view, it worked. They disagreed, saying it was a misstep.”

Nonetheless, Shehu’s disclosure offers a rare glimpse into the inner workings of crisis communication within the Buhari administration—and how a tale about rodents briefly overshadowed serious national concerns.