Fake News
Top Story

Abuja comedian, Valentine, nabbed for posting fake news on Facebook

263

A popular comedian, Augustine Valentine, a.k.a MC Fine, has been apprehended by the police in the FCT for allegedly spreading fake news.

According to DSP Biodun Makanjuola, the Divisional Police Officer in Bwari, FCT, alleged that Valentine posted a false report on facebook alleging the apprehension of a female kidnapper.

“After investigation, we found the report to be fake,” he said.

The woman who is in her middle-age, simply identified as Zulai, had been attacked on Wednesday in Zenith Bank area of Bwari over the suspicion that she had attempted to kidnap a two-year-old male child.

The police immidiately arrested the woman and during an investigation, they found out that she was physically and psychologically unstable.

“When she was brought here, I asked my people to first take her to the General Hospital for medicals. They came back with a medical report indicating that she was suffering from depression.

“The report also referred her to Karu Psychiatric Hospital for proper evaluation. Right now, we are preparing to take her there.

“We were still on the matter when I started receiving calls about a post on Facebook claiming that the woman was a kidnapper.

” The report claimed that her phone had message conversations on how many children to be kidnapped.

“I made efforts and finally discovered who posted the story, brought him here for questioning, and he confessed he only added some of the details to add glamour to the story,” he said.

He, however, cautioned against spreading “unverified news”, warning that it could cause rsecurity breach.

“We are working with the affected families to douse the tension. This town can be volatile, so we are not taking anything for granted.”

Valentine, who regretted his action, admitted that he was not at the scene of the incident on Wednesday.

According to him, the pictures and the alleged story were sent to him via Whatsapp, a social media platform, by an unknown number.

He had earlier raised a fake alarm, through his facebook account, that a woman was caught in Bwari attempting to steal a child who was playing with his mates around the market.

Valentine had on facebook claimed that “the crowd gathered, checked her phone which revealed how many children she was asked to provide by her accomplices”.

Dikko Samuel, Mai Angwuan Bwari, who is also the grandfather of the child Ms Zulai was accused of attempting to kidnap, said his wife called his attention to the incident when he was on his farm.

According to him, his wife, who was cooking corn by the roadside, turned and saw the suspected kidnapper holding the child and walking away.

“That was when she raised an alarm and people gathered and started attacking the woman. They were about to lynch her when we intervened and told the angry crowd that she was insane.

“I was also made to understand that she loves children and that they always followed her around because she gave them sweets and biscuits.”

A visit to the house of the suspected kidnapper, the son of the owner of the property on which she lived, who also pleaded anonymity, said that she had lived in the house for more than a decade.

According to him, Ms Zulai had been unstable for a long time but was harmless and had never shown any sign of violence or criminal behaviour.

He also said that she sometimes had a lot of children in her company, buy sweets and other food items for them when they surrounded her, with no parent complaining.

Leave a comment

Related Articles

Eight secondary school boys seize, gang-rape 14-year-old schoolgirl in Ogun

A 14-year-old schoolgirl in the Ijebu-Mushin area of Ogun State has been...

Just in: Senate confirms Omolola Oloworaran as DG PENCOM

The Senate on Thursday confirmed the nomination of Omolola Oloworaran for appointment...

Just in: Senate approves Tinubu’s $2.2 bln loan request

The Senate on Thursday approved President Bola Tinubu’s loan request of $2.2...

Just in: Reps reject bill for six-year single tenure for president, governors

The House of Representatives rejected a constitutional amendment bill on Thursday seeking...

Just in: Simon Ekpa, four others arrested in Finland over terror-related activities

Finnish-Nigerian separatist agitator, Simon Ekpa, and four others have been arrested in...

Just in: FG sacks Nnamdi Azikiwe University VC

The Vice-Chancellor of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Bernard Odoh,...

Senate raises alarm over fresh terrorists’ invasion from Mali, Burkina Faso, urges FG’s action 

Upset by the invasion of terrorists known as Lakurawa into Northern Nigeria...

Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists’ ambush: Defence HQ confirms killing of 5 soldiers in Borno

The Defence Headquarters has confirmed that Boko Haram/ISWAP terrorists ambushed troops conducting...

Tinubu writes NASS for approval of $2.2bln fresh external loan

President Bola Tinubu has written to the National Assembly, seeking the approval...

NNPC Ltd’s spokesman, Soneye, explains delay in Port Harcourt Refinery rehabilitation, assures of imminent completion

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has acknowledged the challenges...

AFCON Qualifier: Nigeria’s Super Eagles Suffer Shocking 2-1 Loss to Rwanda

Nigeria’s Super Eagles concluded their Africa Cup of Nations Group D qualifiers...

Tax reform bills: Nigeria struggling with tax-to-GDP ratio below World Bank’s 15 % benchmark – Speaker Abbas

Mr. Tajudeen Abbas, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has expressed...

Just in: Again, Anambra sit-at-home claims four vigilance operatives, motorcyclist

Gunmen enforcing Monday’s sit-at-home order in Anambra State launched a deadly attack,...

Tinubu departs Abuja for G20 leaders’ summit in Brazil

President Bola Tinubu will depart Abuja for Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on...

Breaking: APC’s Aiyedatiwa in landslide victory, wins all 18 LGAs in Ondo guber poll

The All Progressives Congress Candidate, Gov. Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has swept the 2024...

Ondo guber poll: Aiyedatiwa votes, says exercise peaceful, PDP raises alarm over thugs invasion

As the Ondo State governorship election kicks off on Saturday, Gov. Lucky...

Late COAS Lagbaja buried in Abuja amid tears, tributes

Amid tears and tributes, the body of the late Chief of Army...

Tinubu appoints Daniel Bwala, Atiku’s ex-spokesman as Special Adviser on Media, three DGs

President Bola Tinubu has appointed Daniel Bwala, the Special Adviser on Media...

Just in: Body of late COAS Lagbaja arrives in Abuja ahead of Friday burial

The body of the late Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja,...

Tinubu Presides Over Crucial FEC Meeting to Unveil 2025 Budget Plans

The much-anticipated meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) is underway with...