A Nigerian court has sentenced social media user Samuel Adeboye Adeyeye, popularly known online as Swanky_concept, to two years imprisonment for spreading false information about the daughter of music stars Adekunle Gold and Simi.
Adeyeye was convicted after posting a false claim on X, formerly Twitter, insinuating that the couple’s daughter, Deja, had died.
In the now-viral post, he wrote: “My sincere condolences to the Adekunle family. Rip to Deja.”
The post quickly sparked outrage online, with many Nigerians condemning the spread of false information involving a child and accusing the user of chasing clout for engagement.
Reports say Adeyeye was arraigned before the court on May 14, where he pleaded guilty to charges linked to cyberbullying, defamation, and spreading false information with malicious intent. He was subsequently sentenced on May 15 to two years imprisonment.
The incident has reignited conversations around misinformation, online harassment, and the growing culture of attention-seeking behaviour on social media.
Several Nigerians, including media personality Do2dtun, had earlier criticised the trend of fabricating stories about celebrities and their families for clicks and online engagement.
Since news of the sentencing broke, reactions have continued to pour in online. While many users described the judgment as a strong warning against fake news and cyberbullying, others said it signals a growing willingness by Nigerian authorities to clamp down on harmful misinformation circulating on social media platforms.
The case also comes amid increasing scrutiny of false reports and celebrity death rumours on X, where misleading stories often spread rapidly before eventually being debunked.
As of the time of filing this report, neither Adekunle Gold nor Simi has publicly reacted to the sentencing.
