The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime and defamation against a Kaduna man accused of circulating a fake letter purportedly written by President Bola Tinubu to the President of the United States.
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The suspect, Mubarak Abdullahi, also known as Sardaunan Samari, was arrested on September 28 after allegedly sharing the document on his Facebook page with the caption, Atiku Is Coming.
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Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a post on X late Monday, saying Abdullahi had been arraigned before Chief Magistrate Court No. 10, Kabala Doki, Kaduna.
Onanuga said the suspect was an avowed supporter of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and was facing trial over the circulation of the document, which purportedly originated from Tinubu and was addressed to the US President.
According to the presidential aide, Abdullahi admitted to investigators that he shared the document and apologised for his actions.
Onanuga, however, said the apology did not prevent further legal action against the suspect.
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He added that the court ordered Abdullahi’s remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in Kaduna, while the DSS filed a three-count charge against him at the Federal High Court, Kaduna.
Onanuga also said the agency would continue to identify individuals involved in circulating what he described as misleading information online.
Meanwhile, human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, criticised the arrest, accusing the DSS of being used to suppress dissent.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Sowore questioned the agency’s involvement in the case and described the arrest as an attempt to silence a citizen over an online publication.
He criticised the Tinubu administration and the ruling All Progressives Congress, arguing that a national security agency should not be deployed against citizens for expressing themselves online.
Sowore further condemned the arrest, warning that public officials would eventually be held accountable for their actions.
As of the time of reporting, neither Atiku nor his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, had publicly commented on the development.
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