Nigeria's President Muhammadu Buhari has shut down rumours that he died and was replaced by a clone.
Rumours had been circulating on social media for months that Mr Buhari had died last year and been replaced by a lookalike from Sudan called Jubril.
“I can assure you all that this is the real me. Later this month I will celebrate my 76th birthday. And I’m still going strong!” Mr Buhari told Nigerians in a town hall session in Poland, where he was attending a conference.
The rumours began when Mr Buhari, who is running for re-election in February, spent five months in Britain last year being treated for an undisclosed illness.
One theory widely aired on social media - and by some political opponents - was that he had been replaced by a lookalike from Sudan called Jubril.
Videos making the claim have been viewed thousands of times on YouTube and Facebook but, no evidence of the rumour being true has been presented.
“One of the questions that came up today in my meeting with Nigerians in Poland was on the issue of whether I‘ve been cloned or not.
“The ignorant rumours are not surprising — when I was away on medical vacation last year a lot of people hoped I was dead,” Mr Buhari said.
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