The Kano State Police Command has alleged that an elderly man who appeared in a viral video claiming to be the biological father of Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau I. Jibrin, was paid N1,000 to make the claims.
The video, which recently circulated widely on social media, showed the elderly man appearing frail and unkempt while alleging that Senator Barau had abandoned him and failed to provide for his welfare.
However, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, said the video was allegedly staged as part of an attempt to defame the senator.
Kiyawa disclosed in a video shared on his verified Facebook page that police had arrested a young man suspected of arranging the production.
According to the police spokesman, the suspect allegedly hired the elderly man to falsely present himself as Senator Barau’s biological father in order to damage the lawmaker’s reputation.
Kiyawa said the elderly man admitted during interrogation that he received N1,000 to participate in the video and make the claims against the Deputy President of the Senate.
The police spokesman added that the suspects had expressed regret over their actions, but warned that the command would not treat the matter lightly.
He said the police would “visit the full wrath of the law” on those responsible, stressing that the action was necessary to deter people from using social media to circulate content capable of damaging another person’s reputation.
Kiyawa said investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would be arraigned in court upon completion of the investigation.
The command also urged members of the public to verify sensational claims before believing or sharing them, particularly when such content could cause reputational damage to individuals.
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