RismadarVoice Reporters
October 27, 2026
The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed a three-count charge against a Kaduna resident, Mubarak Abdullahi, over the alleged circulation of a forged letter purportedly written by President Bola Tinubu to the President of the United States.
Abdullahi, popularly known as Sardaunan Samari, was arrested on September 28 after allegedly sharing the document on Facebook with the caption, “ATIKU IS COMING.”
The development was disclosed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement posted on X on Monday.
According to Onanuga, the suspect was brought before Chief Magistrate Court No. 10 in Kabala Doki, Kaduna, where the court ordered his remand at the Nigerian Correctional Centre.
He disclosed that the DSS had also filed three charges bordering on cybercrime and defamation against Abdullahi at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
However, a date for his formal arraignment before the Federal High Court had not been fixed as of the announcement.
Onanuga alleged that Abdullahi circulated the document despite its purportedly fraudulent origin.
The presidential aide further claimed that the suspect admitted sharing the letter during questioning and subsequently apologised.
He maintained that the reported apology did not prevent the authorities from proceeding with criminal charges.
The allegations have attracted criticism from human rights activist and African Action Congress presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
Reacting in a post on X on Tuesday, Sowore accused the Tinubu administration of using the DSS to intimidate political critics and suppress dissent.
He questioned the involvement of a national intelligence agency in a case arising from the circulation of an online document.
Sowore argued that the prosecution raised concerns about freedom of expression and the treatment of citizens who publish political content on social media.
The case has renewed debate over the limits of online expression, the circulation of allegedly fabricated documents and the appropriate use of security agencies in investigating such matters.
While authorities maintain that the document was fabricated, the criminal allegations against Abdullahi remain subject to judicial determination.
The suspect’s reported admission was disclosed by the presidential spokesperson and has not been independently established through publicly available court records.
As of the time of reporting, no substantive ruling on the three federal charges had been announced.
Abdullahi remains entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
