Niger: No Evidence for Claim That Nigerian Minister Wike Was Banned From Presidential Villa During Indian Prime Minister's Visit

28 November 2024
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Catherine Adeniyi

No evidence for claim that Nigerian minister Wike was banned from presidential villa during Indian prime minister's visit

IN SHORT: Nigerian cabinet minister Nyesom Wike welcomed Indian prime minister Narendra Modi during his state visit. However, Wike's aide denied claims that he was banned from the presidential villa for inappropriate behaviour during Modi's visit.

On 17 November 2024, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi visited Nigeria to strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.

On arrival, Modi was received by the minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and the minister of foreign affairs, Bianca Odimegwu-Ojukwu.

A viral video circulating on social media shows Wike walking briskly ahead of Modi and his aides, stopping briefly to salute them. After exchanging a handshake, Wike is seen manoeuvring through a narrow space between Modi and an aide, appearing to brush past the prime minister as he walks away.

The incident sparked criticism on social media, with several Nigerians accusing Wike of inappropriate behaviour.

One X user later claimed that Wike had been drunk on duty and had embarrassed Modi, leading to him being banned from the presidential villa during the prime minister's visit.

Another post begins: "DRUNK WIKE EMBARRASSES INDIAN PRIME MINISTER, BANNED FROM ASO ROCK."

The same claim appeared on Facebook here and here. (Note: See other instances of the claim at the end of this report.)

But was Wike banned from the presidential villa? We checked.

Wike's aide denies allegations

Wike's media aide, Lere Olayinka, reportedly dismissed the claims as baseless and part of a pattern of misinformation.

Olayinka shared the same video, captioning it: "FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, ushering the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, to the State House, Abuja on Saturday."

He explained that Wike welcomed Modi at the airport on Saturday night, escorted him to his hotel and later accompanied him to the presidential villa on Sunday morning.

There is no credible evidence or reports from reliable media outlets to support the claim that Wike was barred from the presidential villa.

An event of this diplomatic magnitude would have been widely reported in the Nigerian media.

Moreover, the photographic evidence shared by Olayinka shows Wike carrying out his official duties during Modi's visit.

The false claim also appeared here, here, here, here, here, here and here.

Read the original story, with links and other resources.
Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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