Buhari‑Jubril Cloning Rumour: What I Found Out During My Visit to Aso Rock – Former Abia Commissioner

Buhari‑Jubril Cloning Rumour: What I Found Out During My Visit to Aso Rock – Former Abia Commissioner

Former Abia State Commissioner for Information, John Okiyi Kalu, has debunked the persistent rumour that former President Muhammadu Buhari was replaced by a body double named “Jubril from Sudan.” Kalu, who served in the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, said he personally met Buhari at the Presidential Villa in December 2018 and confirmed that the man he saw was the same Buhari he had met years earlier.

The cloning theory, which spread widely across social media and was popularised by Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), claimed that President Buhari died in 2017 during a medical trip to the UK and was secretly replaced with a look-alike from Sudan. The rumour alleged a grand cover-up by top government officials to maintain political control.

But in a recent Facebook post, Kalu explained that his visit to the Villa as part of a federal delegation gave him the opportunity to interact with Buhari in close quarters. The visit was in connection with the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the Enyimba Economic City project, which involved several dignitaries including then-Governor Okezie Ikpeazu.

Kalu said that as a trained scientist and someone who had previously met Buhari in January 2015 during a campaign visit to Aba, he paid close attention to specific physical and behavioural details. According to him, there was no difference between the Buhari he saw in 2015 and the one he encountered in 2018. He cited Buhari’s height, facial structure, distinctive chin, prayer mark on his forehead, and his manner of speaking and walking as consistent.

He described the former president as mentally sharp, humorous, and fully engaged during the meeting. Recalling a light moment, Kalu said Buhari joked with one of the lawyers present, saying, “You were with me in 2003, I lost; in 2007, I lost; you were also with me in 2011, I lost; and when you left me in 2015, I won.”

Kalu said the experience convinced him beyond doubt that the cloning claim was false and urged Nigerians to stop spreading such unfounded conspiracy theories. He added that misinformation of that nature undermines public trust and distracts from real national issues.

His testimony adds to the voices of many Nigerians and officials who have dismissed the cloning allegation as baseless and absurd, reinforcing the stance that Muhammadu Buhari remained the same individual throughout his presidency.