TikToker Arrested by DSS, Remanded for Falsely Claiming President Tinubu Is Dead

A Chief Magistrate Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of social media influencer Ghali Isma’il at the Keffi Correctional Centre after he was arraigned for publishing false claims about the health of President Bola Tinubu. Isma’il, who operates the TikTok account @bola\_asiwaju, was arrested by operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) after posting a viral video alleging the president had died following a suspected poisoning.

The DSS charged Isma’il with two counts: publishing false news and inciting disaffection against the government. According to court documents, Isma’il, 29, allegedly claimed in his video that he had confirmed from official sources that President Tinubu was critically ill due to poisoning. Prosecutors argued that the post was designed to cause public alarm and undermine national stability. The charges were filed under Sections 418 and 416 of the Penal Code Act.

Magistrate Ekpeyong Inyang denied bail after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence, ordering the influencer’s detention until the next hearing scheduled for August 19.

The case comes just days after U.S.-based journalism professor Farooq Kperogi issued a public apology for falsely claiming that former President Muhammadu Buhari and his wife, Aisha, had divorced before Buhari’s death.

Isma’il’s arrest also mirrors a broader crackdown on digital misinformation and incendiary content. In Finland, Nigerian separatist agitator Simon Ekpa is currently on trial for allegedly using social media to incite terrorism. Finnish prosecutors are seeking a six-year sentence, arguing that Ekpa’s digital campaigns amounted to coordinated terror activity. Ekpa insists his content was meant only for engagement.