The Federal High Court has debunked a viral report claiming Justice James Omotosho narrowly escaped an assassination attempt days after sentencing Nnamdi Kanu to life imprisonment, describing the story as entirely fabricated.
It was earlier reported that a blogger published the claim on Facebook, alleging that the judge was attacked in the early hours of Saturday and rushed to a hospital while security operatives moved to secure the area.
However, the Chief Registrar of the Federal High Court, Sulaiman Hassan, countered the story in a statement issued to journalists on Sunday, insisting that no such incident occurred.
The statement, titled “Rebuttal to False Publication by ‘Celebrity Blogger’ on the Alleged Assassination Attempt on Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court,” reads:
“The attention of the Federal High Court has been drawn to a publication by CELEBRITY BLOGGER, alleging that the Honourable Justice James Omotosho of the Federal High Court, Abuja, survived an assassination attempt following the life sentence imposed on Nnamdi Kanu.
“We hereby firmly and unequivocally declare that the said report is completely false and unfounded.
“The public is advised to treat this publication as fake news and refrain from further dissemination to prevent the spread of misinformation.”
Hassan urged security agencies to investigate the origin of the fake report, warning that such fabrications could cause public panic and undermine confidence in the judiciary. He said those behind the misinformation should be identified and prosecuted under relevant laws.
“Given the gravity of the report, which has the potential to cause panic and undermine confidence in the judicial system, possibly intended as a form of intimidation, we call on the relevant security agencies and regulatory authorities to conduct a thorough investigation.
“The goal being to identify and apprehend the perpetrators responsible for this false report and prosecute them in accordance with the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly those relating to cybercrime, defamation, and public misinformation.”