DSS Arraigns Kaduna Man Over Fake Tinubu Letter to US President
Mubarak Abdullahi, also known as Sardaunan Samari, faces a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime and defamation after allegedly sharing a fabricated letter attributed to President Bola Tinubu on Facebook.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned a Kaduna man, Mubarak Abdullahi, over the alleged circulation of a fake letter purportedly written by President Bola Tinubu and addressed to the President of the United States.
Abdullahi, also known as Sardaunan Samari, was arrested on September 28, 2026, after allegedly sharing the document on his Facebook page with the caption, “ATIKU IS COMING.”
President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, disclosed the development in a post on X on Tuesday, October 27.
According to Onanuga, the DSS brought Abdullahi before Chief Magistrate Court No. 10 in Kabala Doki, Kaduna, which ordered his remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre in the state.
The agency has also filed a three-count charge bordering on cybercrime and defamation against him at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
A date for his formal arraignment before the Federal High Court had not been announced as of the time of reporting.
Onanuga said Abdullahi admitted during questioning that he shared the document and apologised for his actions. However, the apology did not halt the prosecution.
The DSS maintained that it would continue identifying individuals suspected of circulating misleading information online.
The arrest has drawn criticism from human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore.
In a post on X on Tuesday, Sowore questioned the use of the DSS in a case involving a social media publication and accused the government of using state institutions to suppress dissent.
He criticised the prosecution as an attempt to silence a citizen over an online post.
His comments reflect concerns about the balance between addressing alleged misinformation and protecting freedom of expression.
As of the time of reporting, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and his media aide, Phrank Shaibu, had not publicly commented on the development.
The case remains before the courts, and the allegations against Abdullahi have yet to be determined through judicial proceedings.
