Nigeria's president swears he's not a clone


If you thought former President Barack Obama being forced to deny having a fake birth certificate was outlandish, the president of Nigeria may have one-upped him — he just had to assure the public that he is still alive.
Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday publicly denied being a clone or an imposter, responding to a conspiracy theory that the real Buhari actually died last year. "It's the real me, I assure you," Buhari said at a town hall event, per The Washington Post. On Twitter, he addressed his 1.7 million followers regarding "the issue of whether I've been cloned or not."
Wild claims spread after Buhari went on medical leave in 2017, and they aren't just confined to fringe online videos; an aide to the previous Nigerian president promoted the idea, BBC News reports. The conspiracies range from those who insist Buhari was replaced by an imposter to those who think he was actually cloned before his "death." Political activist Nnamdi Kanu just last week suggested in a widely shared tweet that Buhari must be an imposter because he "suddenly switched his writing hand from left to right."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Buhari said Sunday that proponents of this theory are "ignorant" and "irreligious," adding that the conspiracy even led some to reach out his vice president instead of him. But Buhari assured the public that he's still "going strong" and will celebrate his 76th birthday this month, even though "a lot of people hoped I was dead."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
What are your retirement savings account options?
The explainer The two main types of accounts are 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts (IRAs)
By Becca Stanek, The Week US
-
7 tranquil hotels worth the trek
The Week Recommends Find serenity off the beaten path
By Catherine Garcia, The Week US
-
'From his election as pope in 2013, Francis sought to reform'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
By Justin Klawans, The Week US
-
Hegseth reportedly shared war plans in 2nd group text
Speed Read The defense secretary sent information about an attack in Yemen to a Signal group chat that included his wife and brother
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Judge threatens Trump team with criminal contempt
Speed Read James Boasberg attempts to hold the White House accountable for disregarding court orders over El Salvador deportation flights
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Biden slams Trump's Social Security cuts
Speed Read In his first major public address since leaving office, Biden criticized the Trump administration's 'damage' and 'destruction'
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
El Salvador refuses to return US deportee
Speed Read President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador said he would not send back the unlawfully deported Kilmar Ábrego García
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Trump says electronics tariff break won't last
Speed Read The tariff exemptions on smartphones, laptops and other electronic devices are temporary, the administration says
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Man charged in arson attack on Pennsylvania's Shapiro
Speed Read Governor Josh Shapiro and his family were sleeping when someone set fire to his Harrisburg mansion
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
White House pushes for oversight of Columbia University
Speed Read The Trump administration is considering placing the school under a consent decree
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Supreme Court backs wrongly deported migrant
Speed Read The Trump administration must 'facilitate' the return of wrongfully deported migrant Kilmar Ábrego García from El Salvador, Supreme Court says
By Peter Weber, The Week US