Forensic Report Debunks Viral Claims Against INEC Chairman
Nigeria’s electoral body has initiated legal action over a viral social media controversy, confirming plans to track and arrest individuals behind a fake account falsely linked to its chairman, Joash Ojo Amupitan.
The Independent National Electoral Commission said its decision follows a detailed forensic and cybersecurity investigation which found no evidence connecting the chairman to an X account that circulated widely online.
The controversy began after screenshots emerged on X, formerly Twitter, alleging that an account bearing the handle @joashamupitan made a partisan comment, “Victory is sure.” The claim gained traction as additional posts purported to show links to emails, phone numbers, and Bank Verification Number records.
In a statement issued Monday by Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola, the commission described the claims as misleading and warned against the spread of unverified digital content.
According to the forensic report commissioned by INEC, the allegations were “fabricated, technically impossible and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.”
The investigation relied on platform data analysis from X, open-source intelligence tools, internet archive records, and timestamp verification. It concluded that Prof. Amupitan “does not operate any personal X account.”
“The X account attributed to Prof. Amupitan is a clear case of impersonation. All alleged posts, replies or statements linked to him are fraudulent and unverifiable,” the report stated.
A key finding centred on the timing of the viral post. Investigators established that the alleged reply was posted 13 minutes before the original message it was said to respond to, a sequence described as “physically impossible on any digital platform.”
Further checks showed that the disputed reply could not be found on the live platform or in archived records. The report added that the Wayback Machine contained no trace of the account’s activity before April 2026.
Investigators also identified what they termed a “deliberate impersonation pattern.” On the same day the screenshots spread online, the account reportedly changed its name from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, switched to private mode, and was labelled a parody account, a move interpreted as an attempt to erase digital footprints.
At least seven related fake accounts across Meta Platforms services, including Facebook and Instagram, were linked to similar identity misuse, suggesting a coordinated multi-platform effort.
The report further dismissed claims tying the account to the chairman through personal data. While confirming that his phone number exists within official records, investigators stressed that such data does not establish ownership of any social media account.
“A phone number appearing in BVN records does not establish ownership of a social media account. There is no technical linkage between the X account and the phone number or email address,” the report noted.
INEC confirmed that the case has been referred to security agencies for investigation and prosecution under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act.
“The forensic evidence is comprehensive, multi-sourced and unambiguous. The posts attributed to Prof. Amupitan are fabricated. The account is a clear case of impersonation,” the commission stated.
The electoral body also called on social media platforms to strengthen response systems against impersonation and reiterated that all official communications from the chairman would be issued only through verified INEC channels.