A former member of the House of Representatives and serving Federal Commissioner in the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), Hon. Johnson Agbonayinma, has debunked reports linking the death of former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, to food poisoning.
In a statement on Thursday, Agbonayinma dismissed the reports making the rounds on social media, describing them as false, malicious, and misleading.
“The stories being circulated are completely unfounded. There was no food poisoning. The claim that he reacted to a meal is pure fabrication,” he said.
The CCB Commissioner also faulted attempts to drag names and institutions into the rumours, including the mention of Mrs. Igbe, CEO of Vesa Foods, wife of the Iyase of Benin.
He described the entire narration as a deliberate fabrication by “enemies of progress.”
Agbonayinma stressed that the details of Arase’s passing remained the sole responsibility of the family to disclose at the appropriate time.
“What the grieving family deserve is prayers and support rather than the spread of fake news,” he noted.
The commissioner paid tribute to the late police chief, saying: “Dr. Solomon Arase was a patriot, a father, and a statesman who served Nigeria meritoriously. Let us honour him with dignity and respect. He died as a legend and a hero to be remembered.”
Agbonayinma warned that the false narratives were calculated to cause panic, confusion, and distress to Arase’s loved ones and the public.
He urged Nigerians to disregard the rumours and verify information from credible sources before sharing.
“Spreading unverified stories only dishonours the memory of the dead and deepens the grief of the bereaved,” he cautioned.
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