Kano State Police Command has said an elderly man featured in a viral social media video claiming to be the biological father of the Deputy President of the Senate, Barau I. Jibrin, was paid ₦1,000 to make the false claims.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, disclosed this in a video posted on his verified Facebook page on Friday, describing the incident as a deliberate attempt to defame the Deputy President of the Senate.
According to Kiyawa, the viral video showed the elderly man appearing frail, hungry, and unkempt while alleging that Senator Barau had abandoned him and failed to provide for his welfare.
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He said police investigations led to the arrest of a young man suspected of orchestrating the production of the video. The suspect allegedly recruited the elderly man to falsely present himself as Senator Barau’s biological father in a bid to tarnish the senator’s reputation.
Kiyawa said the elderly man admitted during interrogation that he was paid ₦1,000 to participate in the recording and make the false claims contained in the video.
He added that the suspects expressed regret over their actions during interrogation but stressed that the Command would not treat the matter lightly.
The police spokesperson warned that those responsible would face the full weight of the law, noting that the action was necessary to deter individuals from using social media to spread false and defamatory content capable of damaging the reputation of others.
He said investigations were ongoing and assured that the suspects would be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
The Police Command also urged members of the public to verify the authenticity of information before believing or sharing sensational content on social media, particularly materials capable of causing reputational harm.
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