The Senate on Tuesday directed the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate the circulation of death rumours on social media concerning the President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, and a former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd.), with a view to prosecuting those responsible.
The Red Chamber described the purveyors of the rumours as promoters of fake information and insisted that those behind the false reports must be identified and punished.
Over the weekend, various social media platforms circulated conflicting reports about Akpabio’s health, with some claiming he collapsed and was flown to London for treatment, while others falsely announced his death.
Speculation grew ahead of Tuesday’s plenary session, with observers keen to see whether the Senate President would attend.
Akpabio, however, dispelled the rumours by physically presiding over the plenary session in Abuja.
Raising the issue under matters of urgent public importance, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on North-Central Development Commission (NCDC), Senator Titus Zam, condemned the growing trend of spreading false information about prominent Nigerians, urging the Senate to take decisive action.
“The promoters of fake information can be traced and punished,” Zam said.
Responding, Akpabio said the matter required no debate, stressing that security agencies particularly the DSS should investigate and take appropriate action.
“It is not only politicians they do this to. A businessman was once reported dead, and even former Head of State Yakubu Gowon was declared dead while he was attending a public function,” Akpabio said.
He noted that while it was difficult to prevent people from publishing falsehoods online, holding perpetrators accountable would serve as a deterrent.
“The internet is garbage in, garbage out. We cannot stop people from writing whatever they want, but the DSS can investigate those behind such false information,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Senate on Tuesday confirmed three non-career ambassadorial nominees.
They are Lateef Kayode Kolawole Are (Ogun State), Aminu Muhammad Dalhatu (Jigawa State) and Emmanuel Ayodele Oke (Oyo State).
Their confirmation followed the consideration of a report by the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, which said the nominees possessed the requisite qualifications, experience, character and understanding of international diplomacy.
The three nominees are the first batch forwarded to the Senate by President Bola Tinubu two weeks ago. A total of 65 additional nominees, comprising both career and non-career ambassadors, are awaiting Senate confirmation.