Court Remands TikToker Over False Obituary Video of Tinubu
An Abuja Chief Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of a 29-year-old social media influencer, Ghali Isma’il, at the Keffi Correctional Centre for allegedly posting a false video announcing the death of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The controversial video, which was uploaded via Isma’il’s verified TikTok handle, @bola_asiwaju, falsely claimed that President Tinubu had died after allegedly being poisoned. His arrest was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS), who launched an investigation into the video’s origins.
Isma’il, a native of Jogana Village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was arraigned on a two-count charge relating to the publication of false information and incitement against the government.
In the first charge — Publication of false news with intent to cause offence against public peace — the prosecution alleged that on or about July 20, 2025, Isma’il falsely claimed in the video that he had confirmed from “official sources” that the President was critically ill as a result of poisoning. The charge stated that the intent was to trigger public panic and disrupt societal peace. This offence is punishable under Section 418 of the Penal Code Act, Cap P3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
The second charge — Inciting disaffection against the government — accused Isma’il of seeking to undermine public confidence in the presidency by spreading unverified and damaging claims. The prosecution referenced Section 416 of the Penal Code as the legal basis for the charge.
Presiding Magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang denied the bail application filed by Isma’il’s counsel, ordering that he be remanded in custody pending the next hearing. The trial was adjourned to August 19, 2025.
The case has drawn public attention, particularly in light of recent controversies surrounding misinformation and inciting content circulated via digital platforms.
Just days before Isma’il’s arraignment, U.S.-based professor of journalism, Farooq Kperogi, issued a public apology after sharing a false report that former President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, were divorced at the time of Buhari’s alleged death.
Similarly, in Finland, separatist agitator Simon Ekpa is currently facing trial over terrorism-related charges tied to his online broadcasts in support of Biafran separatism. Finnish prosecutors are seeking a six-year prison sentence, arguing that Ekpa’s content incites violence and meets the threshold for terrorism under Finnish law.
In Nigeria, Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), also appeared in court last week. During his trial, Kanu downplayed the impact of his online broadcasts, describing them as “mere jokes,” despite prosecution claims that his rhetoric contributed to widespread violence and hundreds of deaths.
The recent developments underscore growing concerns about the use of social media for spreading disinformation and the legal consequences for those found culpable.
