Nigerian Broadcaster Arise News Has Not Suspended Popular Journalist Oseni Rufai

11 December 2025
Africa Check (Johannesburg)
By Motunrayo Joel

Nigerian broadcaster Arise News has not suspended popular journalist Oseni Rufai

IN SHORT: According to several Facebook posts, journalist Oseni Rufai was suspended by his employer, Arise News. But this is not true. Rufai was on leave and returned to work on 8 December 2025.

Some Facebook posts claim that popular Nigerian journalist Oseni Rufai has been "suspended" from the media house Arise News.

One post, dated 4 December 2025, reads: "Arise TV suspends Rufai Oseni. More details later."

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Rufai, a co-host of the Morning Show on Arise TV, is well known for his direct and assertive interview style, which often leads to tense exchanges with politicians and public officials.

In October, he had a heated on-air clash with Nigeria's minister of works, Dave Umahi, which drew strong reactions.

This, combined with Rufai's absence from the show, appears to have formed the basis of claims that Arise News suspended him.

Similar posts can be found here and here. (Note: See more instances listed at the end of this report.)

In July 2024, Africa Check debunked a similar claim about the dismissal of another Nigerian journalist. Could the same be happening with Rufai? We investigated.

'I went on leave'

Africa Check searched for any credible reports of Rufai's suspension and found none.

On 5 December, Rufai debunked the claims of his suspension on his official X account.

"At the start of my leave on Thursday last two weeks, it was announced on TV I went on leave. Empirical facts Dey, so data bois that lied about suspension Una jam Zuma rock," he wrote on X.

On 8 December, Rufai posted on X: "Back from leave."

Similar posts can be found here, here, here, here, here and here.

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Africa Check is a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and in the media. Twitter @AfricaCheck and www.africacheck.org

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