By: Quadri Yahya
Claim: President Bola Tinubu has sacked the Minister of Defense, Mohammed Abubakar and Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu.
Verdict: False.
Full Text:
On April 30, an article was published on a website, Newsextra, stating that President Tinubu has sacked the Minister of Defense, Abubakar and the Minister of Power, Adelabu.
The error-filled article claimed that the information was disclosed by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.
The report claimed that the presidential spokesperson disclosed that the ministers were sacked due to lack of improvement in their respective portfolio.
The article has attracted attention far and wide as Nigeria continues to grapple with insecurity challenges and epileptic power supply.
Verification:
FactCheckAfrica reports that mainstream media did not report the sacking of the ministers as claimed.
In his reaction of an X post on the issue, Mr. Onanuga also flagged it as “fake news”.
“Security agencies must urgently take action against fake news websites and platforms and the purveyors who fail to check the authenticity of the stories and make them go viral. Press freedom and freedom of speech will not exist when some people can wake up and concoct their news and narratives without regard for truth. Fake news is simply licentiousness and must be criminalised”, he wrote.
Conclusion:
The report in circulation that President Tinubu has sacked the ministers of defense and power is false.
