Adekunle Gold wins case against online troll
The Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted an X (formerly Twitter) user, Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye, popularly known by his handle @Swanky001, on charges of cyberbullying, cyber-threats, and cyber-harassment targeted at Afro-fusion musician Adekunle Gold and his family.
In the judgment delivered on May 15, 2026, in the case of IGP v. Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye (Suit No. FHC/L/236C/26), the court found the defendant guilty on all three counts, signaling a major legal precedent in the prosecution of online defamation and harassment in Nigeria.
The prosecution established that the ordeal began in July 2025 when Adeyeye published a false post on his X account claiming that the young daughter of celebrity couple Adekunle Gold (Adekunle Kosoko) and Simi (Simisola Kosoko) had passed away.
Despite immediate backlash and pleas from other social media users to delete the post due to the security risks it posed to the minor, Adeyeye refused to pull it down.
The prosecution team disclosed that the harassment against the musicians continued until March 2026, when law enforcement operatives tracked down and arrested the defendant.
During the trial, the defense team pleaded for leniency, citing Adeyeye’s youth, his health condition, his clean record as a first-time offender, and his timely admission of guilt. The court also took into consideration formal letters of apology submitted by the defendant’s parents.
Presiding over the matter, the judge, Justice Muhammed Sani sentenced Adeyeye as follows:
Count 1 (Cyberbullying): 2 years imprisonment under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2024.
Count 2 (Cyber-threats): 2 years imprisonment under Section 24(2)(i) of the Cybercrimes Act 2024.
Count 3 (Cyber-harassment): 1 year imprisonment under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
The court ruled that the prison terms will run concurrently.
However, the judge provided an option of a ₦1,000,000 fine and issued a permanent restraining order forbidding Adeyeye from engaging in any future conduct capable of damaging the reputation or peace of the complainants.
The outcome marks what legal experts believe is the first high-profile conviction for celebrity cyberbullying in Nigeria. Rather than engaging in a public relations war or online retaliation, Adekunle Gold and his legal team chose to rely entirely on institutional justice, a move that observers say validates the efficacy of the reformed Cybercrimes Act.
“This judgment reinforces a simple but vital point: false statements made with malicious intent to bully, threaten, or cause irreparable harm carry severe legal consequences,” a legal analyst noted following the verdict.
Public reaction to the conviction has been overwhelmingly positive, with digital rights advocates and entertainment stakeholders calling it a necessary deterrent against the rising tide of fake news and digital extortion.
Meanwhile, security agencies have confirmed that the investigation is far from over. Relevant authorities are currently monitoring and investigating several other social media accounts linked to smear campaign against Adekunle Gold and his family, warning that all culpable parties will face full prosecution under the law.
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