The Nigerian Senate refutes claims and has taken decisive and urgent legislative action to combat the rampant spread of misinformation, directing the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, to initiate a thorough investigation into the source and circulation of false reports concerning the health of prominent national figures. The dramatic move followed trending, baseless social media claims suggesting that Senate President Godswill Akpabio had suffered a health crisis and was subsequently, Akpabio Flown to London for emergency medical intervention.
The Senate’s resolution, passed during its plenary session on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, was prompted by a motion raised by Senator Titus Zam. Senator Zam decried the hazardous trend of publishing unverified and sensationalized information, particularly targeting the nation’s political leadership.
The motion specifically addressed the recent flurry of reports alleging that Senate President Akpabio had died in a London hospital, despite the fact that the Senate President was alive and actively presiding over the day’s legislative proceedings. The motion highlighted that the false report about the Senate President was not an isolated incident. It pointed out a similar, recent, and equally false rumour of the death of former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, which circulated online even while the elder statesman was attending a public Christmas carol service in Abuja. Senator Zam argued that the unchecked spread of such dangerous and damaging misinformation necessitates urgent action. He called for a comprehensive probe to identify the individuals and platforms responsible for promoting the fake news, with the ultimate goal of prosecuting them under relevant cybercrime laws to serve as a strong deterrent.
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In response to the motion, Senate President Akpabio acknowledged the difficulty in controlling narratives on social media, describing the malicious reports as “garbage in, garbage out.” However, he stressed the seriousness of using digital platforms to disseminate falsehoods that directly undermine national stability and leadership integrity.
He sustained the motion and unequivocally referred the matter to the office of the NSA for a diligent investigation, emphasizing the need to unmask the purveyors of the fake news. The Senate also resolved to task the Director, General of the Department of State Services, DSS, to work in synergy with the NSA’s office to expedite the investigation.
This firm directive from the National Assembly sends a clear message that the political establishment will no longer tolerate the use of social media to destabilize the polity or attack the character of its leaders through fabricated health or death reports. For more information, I recommend Songbux.
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