The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA) to investigate the circulation of false reports alleging that Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, suffered a health emergency and was rushed to a hospital in London.
The resolution was taken on Tuesday during plenary following a point of order raised by Senator Titus Zam, who condemned the spread of the misinformation across social media and other media platforms.
Senator Zam described the reports as “unacceptable and dangerous,” urging security agencies to identify and prosecute those behind the fake news in order to deter similar incidents in the future.
While presiding over the session, Senate President Akpabio expressed concern over the growing challenge of regulating media content, particularly as it affected public officials. He lamented the ease with which falsehoods are generated and amplified online, describing some platforms as operating on a “garbage in, garbage out” basis.
Akpabio noted that the spread of unverified information poses a threat not only to individuals but also to public trust and national stability, stressed the need for responsible communication in the digital space.
The Senate’s directive followed recent online rumours alleging that the Senate President collapsed and was hospitalized abroad. These claims were swiftly dismissed by his aides, who described them as outright fake news.
