The Nigerian Senate has directed the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, to investigate the origin and intent of social media rumours claiming that Senate President Godswill Akpabio has collapsed, been hospitalised, or even died.
The directive came after Senator Titus Zam raised a point of order under Order 42, expressing concern over the circulation of the reports over the past 48 hours.
Zam described the rumours as “alarming and unacceptable,” stressing that the nation’s third-highest official should not be subjected to misinformation.
Senate President Akpabio acknowledged the difficulty of managing narratives on social media, remarking that “people cannot be stopped from publishing what is essentially garbage in, garbage out.”
He then asked the chamber if it was the Senate’s wish to formally refer the matter to the NSA for investigation.
The Senate subsequently adopted the proposal by voice vote, instructing the NSA to determine both the source and purpose of the false reports surrounding Akpabio’s health.
