DSS arraigns man over fake Tinubu letter to US President

The Department of State Services (DSS) has formally arraigned Mubarak Abdullahi, also known as Sardaunan Samari, on charges of sharing a fabricated letter attributed to President Bola Tinubu, addressed to the President of the United States. Abdullahi appeared before a Chief Magistrate Court in Kaduna, where he was charged with three counts related to cybercrime and defamation.

The court ordered his remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre, Kaduna, following his arrest on September 28th for posting the fake document on his Facebook page. Abdullahi admitted to sharing the document and subsequently apologized, but the court found his contrition insufficient. The DSS has filed a three-count charge against him at the Federal High Court in Kaduna, and the date for Abdullahi's formal arraignment is yet to be determined.

President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, confirmed that the DSS will continue to track those spreading misleading information online. Human rights activist Omoyele Sowore criticized the arrest, accusing the Presidential and All Progressives Congress (APC) regime of using the DSS as a tool to suppress dissent.