A TikTok user, Ghali Isma’il, has been ordered to remain in custody by a magistrate court in Abuja after he posted a video falsely claiming that President Bola Tinubu had died from a critical illness.

The video, which was uploaded on a verified TikTok account under the name @bola_asiwaju, quickly gained attention and led to Isma’il’s arrest by the Department of State Services (DSS). His actions raised serious concerns about misinformation on social media.

Isma’il, who is 29 years old and from Jogana village in Gezawa Local Government Area of Kano State, was brought before the court on two charges: spreading false information and trying to stir up public anger or disapproval toward the president.

According to the charges, the first offence took place around July 20, 2025, when Isma’il claimed in a video that President Tinubu had been poisoned and was in critical condition. He also falsely stated that the information came from official sources, which the authorities say goes against Section 418 of the Penal Code.

In the second charge, the government accused him of trying to turn people against the president by knowingly spreading lies. This, they say, violates Section 416 of the same Penal Code.

When the matter was brought before Magistrate Ekpeyong Iyang, the court refused to grant Isma’il bail, despite an application made by his legal team. Instead, the judge ordered that he be kept at the Keffi Correctional Centre until the case resumes.

The next hearing has been scheduled for August 19, 2025.