E-mail hackers have embarrassed President Goodluck Jonathan and his media team by pushing out a false statement credited to the president.
The false statement claimed President Jonathan had revealed Boko Haram masterminds and also discovered the location of the over 200 school girls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno state, since 14 April.
But in a swift damage control, Dr. Reuben Abati, the presidential spokesman claimed the specious press statement was the handiwork of mischief makers.
His full statement read:
All media organisations and persons on my mailing list should kindly disregard the press release purportedly issued by me earlier today titled: PRESIDENT JONATHAN REVEALS LOCATION OF CHIBOK GIRLS AND EXPOSES BOKO HARAM MASTERMINDS
“No such press release was written or circulated by me. It is clearly the work of fraudsters who have hacked into my email account in an odious attempt to mislead the public at the expense of the credibility of the Jonathan Administration.
“We totally condemn this criminal resort to political dirty tricks which seeks to cynically play on national concern and emotions about the Boko Haram insurgency and fate of the abducted Chibok girls.
“Aspects of the fraudulent press release, such as its incoherence and invitation to click on a link, would have alerted discerning persons who are conversant with the style and format of my press statements to the possibility of skulduggery.
“I find it necessary, however, to issue this disclaimer for the benefit of the unwary.”