A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has remanded a social media influencer, Ghali Isma’il, at the Keffi Correctional Centre following his arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Isma’il, aged 29 and from Jogana village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, had posted a video on his verified TikTok handle @bola_asiwaju, falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu was gravely ill and had died from poisoning.
In a two-count presented before the court, prosecutors accused Isma’il of publishing false information with the intent to disturb public peace and of inciting disaffection against the government. The first count alleged that he intended to alarm the public by claiming to have confirmed the president’s critical illness from official sources.
The second count stated that his post was calculated to generate contempt and hostile sentiment against the President. Both charges fall under the Penal Code Act and are punishable by law.
After hearing arguments from the legal teams representing the DSS and the defendant, Magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang denied Isma’il’s bail application.
He ordered the accused to be remanded in Keffi Correctional Centre and adjourned the case until August 19. The court proceedings follow recent developments involving misinformation about political figures.