Renowned human rights lawyer, Chidi Odinkalu, has expressed concern over the widespread dissemination of unverified claims made by Okoi Obono-Obla, a controversial figure in Nigerian politics.
In a post made available on his X handle, Odinkalu highlighted the issue of people accepting and spreading what he termed "fantastical nonsense" from Obono-Obla.
He urged the public to be wary of giving credibility to such claims without thorough verification. “A lot of people are circulating the fantastical nonsense from Okoi Obono-Obla as fact,” Odinkalu remarked.
“I don’t and can’t hold brief for President Muhammadu Buhari or anything in his regime, but we need to be careful about conferring credulity upon the claims of a manifest fantasist or fabulist.”
Obono-Obla, a former Special Presidential Investigation Panel chairman, has been a polarizing figure, often making bold and controversial statements.
Odinkalu's caution reflects a broader concern about the spread of misinformation in Nigeria's volatile political landscape, where unsubstantiated claims can quickly gain traction and influence public opinion.
Odinkalu’s call to action underscores the importance of verifying information before sharing it, especially in an era where misinformation can easily proliferate through social media and other digital platforms.