A Nigerian court has sentenced an X (formerly Twitter) user to prison for spreading false information and cyberbullying involving singer Adekunle Gold and his family.

The convicted user, identified as Samuel Adeyeye, was found guilty after posting a false message suggesting that Adekunle Gold and his wife Simi had lost their daughter. The post quickly went viral and sparked widespread reactions online before it was debunked.

The case was heard in a Nigerian court where the defendant pleaded guilty to charges linked to cyberbullying, defamation, and spreading false information. He was subsequently sentenced to two years in prison.

Court records and reports show that the false post was considered malicious and capable of causing emotional harm to the family, prompting legal action. The judge ruled that the offence went beyond online “content creation” and amounted to criminal behaviour.

The ruling has drawn attention to how Nigerian courts are increasingly treating online misinformation and cyberbullying as punishable offences, especially when they involve public figures and their families.

In this case, the court emphasised that freedom of expression does not include spreading harmful falsehoods that can damage reputations or cause distress.

The sentence has since sparked mixed reactions online, with some users supporting the judgment as a warning against online abuse, while others debated whether such cases should be handled as criminal or civil matters.

The convicted user will serve the prison term in accordance with the court’s ruling.