Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja Orders Remand of Social Media Influencer Ghali Isma’il Over False Claims About President Bola Tinubu’s Health

The Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of Ghali Isma’il, a 29-year-old social media influencer, following his arrest for publishing videos alleging that President Bola Tinubu had died after a critical illness. The arrest was carried out by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after Isma’il posted the video on his verified TikTok account, @bola_asiwaju.

Isma’il, a native of Jogana village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano state, was arraigned on a two-count charge related to the publication of false information and incitement of public disaffection. The charges stem from an incident dated around July 20, 2025, when Isma’il allegedly claimed in his video that President Tinubu was critically ill and had been poisoned, asserting that this information came from official sources.

 

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The first count charges him with violating Section 418 of the Penal Code Act, Cap P3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, which pertains to the publication of false information. The second count accuses him of attempting to incite public contempt and disaffection against the president by deliberately spreading falsehoods, an offense under Section 416 of the Penal Code.

During the court session, presiding magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang rejected Isma’il’s bail application submitted by his legal counsel and ordered that he be remanded at the Keffi Correctional Centre pending further proceedings. This ruling underscores the court’s stance on the dissemination of unverified information that could potentially destabilize public order and trust in national leadership.

 

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