Akpabio Petitions DSS Over Fake Anti-North Statement

Senate President Godswill Akpabio has asked the Department of State Services to investigate a purported anti-Northern statement being circulated online in his name. Akpabio submitted the petition on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, following the spread of a graphic on Facebook and other digital platforms that allegedly carried his photograph and presented him as making a statement against people from Northern Nigeria.

The complaint was made public in Abuja by Akpabio’s Special Assistant on Media, Jackson Udom.

The petition was submitted by Akpabio’s Chief of Staff, Chinedu Akubueze, on behalf of the Senate President. It asked the DSS to urgently investigate the source and distribution of the material, which the senator’s office described as false, provocative and capable of causing division among Nigerians.

The graphic reportedly used Akpabio’s photograph and official position while attributing an anti-Northern message to him in connection with President Bola Tinubu and the 2027 election.

Akubueze said Akpabio never made the statement contained in the graphic. He also stated that there was no available evidence showing where or when the alleged statement was made, including any speech, interview, recording, official communication or credible media report supporting the claim.

According to the petition, the graphic also lacked a clear publisher’s identity or a reliable source. Akpabio’s office therefore suspects that the material was deliberately created and circulated to make it appear as though the Senate President had made the statement.

The petition alleged that the material could mislead members of the public, create anger against Akpabio in Northern Nigeria and damage his reputation by portraying him as someone threatening or targeting Northerners.

As part of its preliminary review, Akpabio’s office said it traced some of the earliest known Facebook accounts that circulated the graphic.

Those identified included Abdullai Musa, who reportedly shared the material in a Facebook group known as Sheikh Muhammad bin Uthman group 24. Another person, Uzoma Chilaka, was also said to have reproduced the graphic on Facebook alongside a commentary attributed to Boniface Uzoma Chilaka and Engineer Ibrahim Umar Ammar.

The petition further mentioned a verified Facebook account belonging to Ibrahim Umar Ammar, which allegedly later shared the same graphic and a similar message.

However, Akpabio’s office warned that the people identified should not be treated as guilty simply because their accounts were linked to the circulation of the material. They were described as persons who could provide useful information to investigators about how the graphic was created and spread.

The Senate President’s office said investigators could examine the publication history and other available evidence to determine who designed the graphic, who first uploaded it, whether anyone sponsored its distribution and how it moved across different platforms.

The petition also requested that relevant digital records, communications and other evidence connected to the origin and circulation of the material be examined in line with the law.

The complaint comes as political activities increase ahead of the 2027 general elections. Social media has become an important tool for politicians and political groups to reach voters, promote their messages and attack opponents.

Akpabio, who represents Akwa Ibom North-West Senatorial District in the Senate, is one of the major political figures in the Tinubu administration and has remained active in discussions surrounding the 2027 political contest.

His decision to involve the DSS comes amid growing concerns over the circulation of false information and politically charged content online as preparations for the next general election gather pace.