Nigeria’s president denies claims he’s dead

Nigeria’s president on Sunday denied claims that he had died and been replaced by an imposter. 

“It’s real me, I assure you. I will soon celebrate my 76th birthday and I will still go strong,” President Muhammadu Buhari said to Nigerians during a town hall session while in Poland, according to Reuters. 

{mosads}Buhari was in the European country for a conference. 

In 2017, Buhari spent about five months in Great Britain receiving treatment for an undisclosed illness. A conspiracy theory began to circulate that Buhari had actually died and been replaced by a Sudanese imposter. 

While there was no evidence to support the claims, videos related to the topic shared on social media have received thousands of views. 

Reuters reported that the rumor was aired by some of Buhari’s political opponents. 

“A lot of people hoped that I died during my ill health,” Buhari said, before describing the people who spread the theory as “ignorant and irreligious.”

His comments were later released in an emailed statement titled “It’s Real Me, President Buhari Responds to Cloning Allegation.”

Buhari is running for reelection in February 2019.