Family Appeals to Toni Elumelu Over False Divorce Claim

Kingslei Akunemeih, an 18-year-old UTME candidate, was arrested on April 18 for sharing a false post on social media claiming that billionaire businessman Toni Elumelu was divorcing his wife. The post, which went viral, was initially shared by Akunemeih's sister, Ngozi, who later clarified that her brother did not create the post but merely copied it from another user's page.

Following the arrest, Ngozi appealed to Elumelu for forgiveness, highlighting her brother's youth and ignorance, and expressed that he has learned a significant lesson from the incident. Despite their apologies, Akunemeih remained in custody for ten days as part of a criminal investigation.

The case is part of a broader controversy regarding the dissemination of false information on social media, with Elumelu's organization, United Bank for Africa, confirming that the claims were defamatory and malicious. Activist Omoyele Sowore has called for the release of those arrested, arguing that the matter should be treated under civil law rather than criminal law.