Igbo Times Magazine, an ethnic-based news blog, reported that Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, has suspended all courts in the country due to fears of disqualification.
The platform, in the report dated July 26, 2023, asserted that this announcement was made through a statement where the president cited “uncovered evidence of widespread fraud in the judiciary” as the reason for his decision.
Claim I: Nigeria’s president, Bola Tinubu, has suspended all courts in the country over fears of disqualification.
Verification
The CDD War Room investigated the claim made by the news blog that Bola Tinubu has suspended all courts in Nigeria.
We checked the statement purportedly issued by the president. We observed that the alleged statement was not signed, and there was no confirmation or credible publication of such a statement by any reputable media outlet.
Also, the CDD War Room has been observing the proceedings of the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) since it commenced the hearing of petitions contesting the outcome of the 2023 presidential election.
We can confirm that the Court still sat on Tuesday, August 1, 2023, contrary to the viral report being published by the news blog weeks ago.
Verdict: FALSE
The CDD War Room found the report published by Igbo Times Magazine to be false, as there is no credible evidence or official confirmation from reliable sources. It is essential to rely on verified information from reputable news outlets to ensure the accuracy of viral news and avoid spreading false or misleading information. As of now, there is no indication that Bola Tinubu has suspended any court in Nigeria.
Claim II: Igbo Times Magazine reported that Eyinnaya Abaribe, a federal lawmaker, was shot by gunmen in Abia state
The news blog posted on microblogging platforms, X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook, that Abaribe, the senator representing Abia South Senatorial District, was shot dead by gunmen in his residence.
Verification
The CDD War Room investigated the viral report suggesting that Abaribe, the lawmaker representing Abia South Senatorial District, was shot dead by gunmen, and here is what we found.
To confirm the veracity of the claim, we investigated the images attached to the post. We found that one of the images was from a 2021 gunmen attack on a member of Federal House of Representatives, Chris Azubogu, in Anambra state. The second image was from an attack on Ifeanyi Ubah’s convoy, also in Anambra state.
When we clicked on the link embedded in the post, it took us to another false post which has been flagged by Facebook.
As of the time of filing this fact-check, we can confirm that Eyinnaya Abaribe was not shot dead and is still alive.
Verdict: FALSE
The images used in the viral post did not show an attack on Abaribe in Abia state. They show unrelated incidents involving other political actors in a different state. Also, no credible media outlet reported Abaribe’s death.
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