“How I Used Villa Rat Invasion Story To Cover For Buhari’s Illness,” Garba Shehu Explains
by Adekunle Dada, https://www.facebook.com/legitngnews · Legit.ng News · Join- The Former Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, has recounted on the famous Villa rat invasion story
- Garba said he fabricated the Villa rat invasion story to cover Buhari's sickness after he returned from the United Kingdom
- He disclosed this in his newly released book titled “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience”
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues
FCT, Abuja - The Former Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Garba Shehu, said the Villa rat invasion story was a cover-up for Buhari’s illness.
Shehu said he fabricated the Villa rat invasion story to divert public attention away from concerns about President Buhari’s health and capacity to govern.
As reported by The Punch, Shehu disclosed this in his book “According to the President: Lessons from a Presidential Spokesperson’s Experience,” launched on Tuesday, July 7, in Abuja.
In Chapter 10 of the book, titled “Rats, Spin and All That,” Shehu said there was so much talk after it was announced that Buhari would be working from home after returning from the United Kingdom after nearly three months of medical treatment.
“So in the few hours of the president’s return, I picked up a conversation in the office of the CoS, where the chief, a few principal officers, and the permanent secretary sat over lunch, a damage to a cable was noticed, and it needed fixing.
“When the surge in calls for explanation of why the president would be working from home, if truly he had recovered his health and fit for the office came, I said to the reporters that the office, which had been in disuse, needed renovation because rats may have eaten and damaged some cables.”
Buhari’s aide further stated that the then Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, and Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo asked him why he came up with the story during a meeting.
“I said to them that the choice I made was deliberate: I wanted the discussion to shift, to move to any other issue besides the president’s health and his ability to continue in office as the leader of the country. In my view, that spin succeeded. Both of them disagreed, saying that this was well off the mark.”
Buhari reportedly spent days in ICU in London
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Buhari is recuperating from an undisclosed illness in London, United Kingdom.
Buhari was said to have spent days at the intensive care unit (ICU) in a London hospital after falling ill during a medical trip.
According to the report, the former Nigerian President will return to the country once he is fully recovered.
Buhari: “Why I missed ECOWAS 50th anniversary”
Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that Buhari expressed regret for not attending the ECOWAS 50th anniversary celebration held in Lagos on Wednesday, May 28, 2025.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Buhari said he missed the event due to a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom.
Buhari hailed President Tinubu, who is the leader of the bloc, and paid tribute to General Yakubu Gowon, the only surviving founder of ECOWAS.