A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted social media user Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye, popularly known on X as @Swanky001, for cyberbullying, cyber-threats, and cyber-harassment against Afrobeats star Adekunle Gold, his wife Simi, and their young daughter.
Legal analysts are already describing the ruling as one of Nigeria’s first high-profile criminal convictions involving celebrity cyberbullying and a defining moment for online accountability in the country.
The ordeal began in July 2025 when Adeyeye posted false claims on his X account, alleging that the daughter of Adekunle Gold and Simi had died. The post drew immediate condemnation from fellow social media users, many of whom urged him to take it down over concerns for the child’s safety and the family’s well-being. He allegedly refused.
According to prosecutors, Adeyeye went further, deliberately sustaining the false narrative for approximately eight months in a calculated bid to drive engagement and profit from X’s advertising revenue-sharing program.
The harassment campaign continued until March 2026, when security operatives moved in and arrested him, bringing the prolonged episode to a close.
Notably, rather than responding through social media, Adekunle Gold and his legal team chose to pursue the matter through the courts, a decision that legal observers say strengthened their case considerably.
Delivering judgment in IGP v. Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye (Suit No. FHC/L/236C/26), the court found Adeyeye guilty on all three counts. He was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment for cyberbullying under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act 2024, two years for cyber-threats under Section 24(2)(i) of the same act, and one year for cyber-harassment under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.
The court ordered all sentences to run concurrently and granted the convict an option of paying a ₦1 million fine. A permanent restraining order was also issued, barring him from any further conduct capable of damaging the reputation or peace of the complainants.
During proceedings, the defense counsel had pleaded for leniency, citing Adeyeye’s age, health condition, status as a first-time offender, and his guilty plea. Apology letters from his parents were also submitted to the court.
For Adekunle Gold’s lawyer, Oyinkansola Fawehinmi, the conviction was a victory but also a launchpad. Reacting to the judgment, she made clear that the legal team’s work was not yet finished.
“This decision should serve as notice to anyone publishing or amplifying defamatory statements against our clients,” she said. “Investigations into other accounts connected to this campaign are ongoing, and we are confident that due process will take its full course.”
She also commended the Nigeria Police Force and the judiciary for their handling of the case and thanked fans and supporters who stood by the family throughout the ordeal.
Beyond the immediate facts, this ruling carries a broader significance for Nigeria’s digital landscape. It demonstrates that the Cybercrimes Act has real teeth, that the courts are willing to apply it, and that hiding behind a screen no longer guarantees safety from legal consequences.
For millions of Nigerians active on social media, the verdict is a pointed reminder that what you post, share, or amplify online is not without consequence. And as Fawehinmi’s warning makes clear, for some, that lesson may still be on its way.
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW
A Federal High Court in Lagos has convicted X user Adeboye Samuel Adeyeye for an eight-month campaign of deliberate lies and harassment targeting Adekunle Gold, Simi, and their daughter, falsely claiming the child had died, allegedly to cash in on X’s ad-revenue program.
He was sentenced to two years in prison with an option of a ₦1 million fine and permanently restrained from further contact with the family.
