No, Nigerian senator Enyinnaya Abaribe didn't 'shut down' the national assembly to demand the release of Ipob leader Nnamdi Kanu
IN SHORT: A viral claim on Facebook says a former minority leader of the Nigerian senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, disrupted the activities of the national assembly, demanding the release of Nnamdi Kanu from detention. The senator has debunked the claim.
A claim has gone viral on Facebook, saying that the former minority leader at the Nigerian senate, Enyinnaya Abaribe, led a protest and disrupted the activities of the national assembly, demanding the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) from detention.
"Breaking News: Senator Abaribe Shuts Down National Assembly, Demands Immediate Release of Nnamdi Kanu" the headline of the report in one post, dated 14 March 2025, reads.
Part of the post reads: "Chaos erupted at the Nigerian National Assembly today as Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe took a dramatic stand, demanding the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu. The senator, who previously stood as a surety for Kanu's bail, vowed that legislative proceedings would not continue until his demand was met."
The posts claim Abaribe arrived at the national assembly wielding a placard and blocking key access roads, demanding an end to Kanu's prolonged detention.
The same claim appears here, here, here, here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of the report.)
Abaribe represents Abia South senatorial district in the southeast geopolitical zone, the region of Nigeria that seceded as the Republic of Biafra in 1967 and rejoined the country in 1970 after a 30-month civil war.
Kanu leads Ipob, a frontline group in the agitation for the restoration of Biafra. He is facing charges bordering on terrorism and treasonable felony, among others, over his involvement in the agitation.
Abaribe stood surety to enable Kanu to secure bail in 2017 and has said he is ready to do it again.
But did he disrupt the activities of the senate in protest, demanding Kanu's release from detention? We checked.
The senator debunks the claim
Abaribe refuted the claim and said it is a falsehood aimed at sabotaging ongoing efforts at exploring political means of securing Kanu's release.
A statement issued by Abaribe's media aide, Uchenna Awom, noted that the senator was not in Abuja and the senate did not sit on Fridays, the day it was supposedly disrupted.
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"Subjudice matters (under judicial consideration) are not debated in the Senate. Therefore, Senator Abaribe couldn't have embarked on such an effort knowing its futility. The truth is that he did not lead any protest or obstructed legislative proceedings. The public is therefore urged to disregard this fabricated report and refrain from sharing unverified information," part of the statement reads.
Also, there is no evidence of a disruption of activities of the national assembly in the week the claim began to circulate. It is false.
The false claim was also posted here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here, here and here.
