Factcheck: Is Senator Mustapha Supporting Muslims with ₦10,000 as a Ramadan Gift?

By Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho 

Claim

A viral post circulating on WhatsApp claims that Senator Soliu Mustapha, representing Kwara Central, is distributing ₦10,000 to Muslims as a Ramadan gift. The post includes a link that allegedly facilitates the process of receiving the money, making it appear more credible.

About Soliu Mustapha

Mustapha is a Nigerian politician and philanthropist. Born on September 25, 1972, in Ilorin, Kwara State, he currently serves as the Senator representing Kwara Central Senatorial District under the All Progressives Congress (APC). Before his election in 2023, he was the Deputy National Chairman of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), which later merged into the APC.

Mustapha is also the founder of the Saliu Mustapha Foundation, an organization dedicated to empowering youths, supporting small and medium enterprises, and improving the lives of the less privileged. Through his foundation, he has provided business grants, human capital development programs, and community-focused interventions.

Recognized for his contributions to his community, he holds the traditional title of Turaki of Ilorin, conferred by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Dr. Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, CFR.

Verdict: False!

Verification:

The claim about the ₦10,000 Ramadan gift was shared on WhatsApp, accompanied by a voice note urging people to act fast, as others were allegedly receiving the money.

Upon clicking the link, the landing page displayed an image of Senator Soliu Mustapha alongside a Ramadan-themed design, claiming he was distributing the money. The website featured multiple comments, with some users asserting that they had received the money after entering their account details and sharing the link with friends on WhatsApp. However, when FactCheck Africa attempted the process, no money was received.

Findings

To further verify the authenticity of the claim, Dubawa Chatbot was used, but it found no evidence that Senator Soliu Mustapha was distributing ₦10,000 for Ramadan. Instead, it only highlighted his past humanitarian projects under the Saliu Mustapha Foundation, which are unrelated to any direct Ramadan cash transfer. Additionally, e.Veritas, a tool for detecting fraudulent websites, flagged the link as a phishing scam. Phishing websites are designed to deceive users by mimicking legitimate entities to steal personal and financial information.

Conclusion:

The claim that Senator Soliu Mustapha is distributing ₦10,000 as a Ramadan gift is false. Investigations revealed that the website promoting the claim is a phishing scam aimed at collecting users’ sensitive information. There is no credible evidence that the senator is conducting any such of support.