Influencer Who Claimed President Tinubu Died Of Poisoning Remanded

A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Abuja on Friday ordered the remand of a 29-year-old social media influencer, Ghali Isma’il, at the Keffi Correctional Centre for allegedly publishing false information suggesting that President Bola Tinubu had died of poisoning.

Naijaonpoint reports that the controversial video, posted via his verified TikTok handle @bola_asiwaju, claimed the president was critically ill and had died as a result of a poisoned meal.

The clip went viral and triggered reactions across social media platforms before the Department of State Services (DSS) swooped in and arrested the Kano-based content creator.

Count one of the two-count charge, titled “Publication of false news with intent to offend public peace, read, “That you, Ghali Ismail, Male, twenty-nine (29) years of Jogana village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State, on or about the 20th Day of July, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did publish false information by uploading a video clip on your verified Tiktok handle (“bola-asiwaju”) wherein you falsely claimed that you reliably confirmed from official sources that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was critically ill, having been poisoned through his meal, with intent to cause public alarm and disturb public peace.

“You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 418 of the Penal Code Act, Cap P3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

Count two, “Inciting Disaffection to the Government,” read: “That you, Ghali Ismail, Male, twenty-nine (29) years, of Jogana village, Gezawa LGA, Kano State, on or about the 20th Day of July, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did publish false information by uploading a video clip on your verified Tiktok handle (“bola-asiwaju”) wherein you falsely claimed that you reliably confirmed from official sources that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was critically ill, having been poisoned through his meal, with intent to bring contempt or incite feelings of disaffection against the person of the President. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 416 of the Penal Code Act, Cap P3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

Presiding Magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang, after hearing arguments from both defence counsel and DSS prosecutors, denied bail and ordered that Isma’il be remanded in custody at Keffi until the next hearing.

The matter was subsequently adjourned to August 19, 2025.