A Nigerian social media user has been sentenced to two years’ imprisonment after falsely announcing the death of Adekunle Gold and Simi’s daughter, Deja, in a viral post that sparked outrage online.
The convict, identified as Samuel Adeboye Adeyeye, popularly known on X as Swanky_concept, was found guilty of cyberbullying and defamation after making the disturbing false claim about the celebrity child.
According to court proceedings, Samuel had posted:
“My sincere condolences to the Adekunle family. Rip to Deja.”
The post falsely implied that the couple’s daughter had died, triggering confusion, anger, and heavy backlash across social media.
The matter quickly escalated legally after the false information gained attention online. Samuel was arraigned before the court on May 14 and pleaded guilty to the charges against him. On May 15, following his guilty plea, the court sentenced him to two years‘ imprisonment.
The ruling has since generated widespread reactions online, with many Nigerians describing it as one of the strongest recent warnings against fake news, cyberbullying, and defamatory behaviour on social media platforms.
Several users on X argued that the sentence conveys a clear message about the consequences of spreading harmful misinformation, especially when it involves children or public figures.
Over the years, celebrity families in Nigeria have increasingly faced online harassment, false rumours, fake death reports, and invasive social media attacks.
However, this particular case drew stronger reactions because it involved a false death claim about a child.
Neither Adekunle Gold nor Simi publicly made lengthy comments about the conviction as reactions continued spreading online.
The couple, who are among Nigeria’s most-loved celebrity pairs, have generally maintained a protective stance toward their daughter’s privacy despite their fame.
Many social media users praised the legal action, saying stricter consequences may help reduce the growing culture of reckless online posting and attention-seeking misinformation.
Others also noted that the case reflects how Nigerian authorities are beginning to take cyberbullying and online defamation more seriously, especially when such actions cause emotional distress or reputational damage.
For many observers, the sentencing marks a major moment in Nigeria’s ongoing conversation about social media responsibility, digital behaviour, and the limits of online freedom.
