Court Remands TikToker Arrested By DSS For Claiming President Tinubu Is Dead

A chief magistrate court in Abuja has remanded a social media influencer, Ghali Isma’il, for posting a video falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu had died after a serious illness.

According to TVC, Isma’il was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS) shortly after sharing the video on a verified TikTok account with the handle @bola_asiwaju.

The 29-year-old, who hails from Jogana village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, appeared in court on a two-count charge.

The charges include spreading false information and attempting to provoke public distrust in the president.

In the first count, prosecutors alleged that on July 20, 2025, Isma’il claimed in his video that President Tinubu had been poisoned and was critically ill, and that the claim was supposedly confirmed by official sources.

The charge is said to contravene Section 418 of the Penal Code Act, Cap P3, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

The second charge accuses him of trying to stir public discontent by deliberately spreading false information about the president, which is considered a crime under Section 416 of the same code.

Magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang refused the bail request made by Isma’il’s lawyer and ordered that he be remanded at the Keffi Correctional Centre.

The case has been adjourned until August 19 for further hearing

KanyiDaily recalls that Nigerian TikToker, Seaking was previously arrested shortly after posting a video in which he insulted President Bola Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.