Popular Nigerian gospel singer Nathaniel Bassey has expressed dismay over the unfounded claim of being the father of his colleague Mercy Chinwo’s son. Last Friday, social media was buzzing after Mercy Chinwo shared pictures of her son with her husband, Pastor Blessed. Despite the positive comments on her social media page, some users on the X platform alleged that Nathaniel Bassey was the father, citing a supposed resemblance between them.
In response to the false accusation, Nathaniel Bassey filed a petition with the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to investigate and prosecute four individuals for criminal defamation and cyberstalking. The petition, submitted through his lawyers Peter Abraham, Uche Matthew, Gbenga Agunloye, and Anthony Abia on April 1, 2024, called for action against the individuals identified as Okoronkwo Ejike, Kingsley Ibeh, Terrence Ekot, and Dj Spoiltkid. The lawyers asserted that the social media posts by these individuals amounted to character assassination of Bassey.
The lawyers highlighted that the actions of the accused individuals contravened Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act as well as Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act. They emphasized Bassey’s positive impact as a gospel music minister and expressed concern over the damaging effects of the defamatory statements made against him.
The petition addressed the viral post by Mr. Okoronkwo Ejike, the comment by Mr. Kingsley Ibeh, and the posts by Mr. Dj Spoiltkid and Mr. Terrence Ekot on the X platform. The lawyers stressed the urgency of addressing these harmful posts to safeguard Bassey’s image, reputation, and character. They urged the authorities to take swift action to investigate the matter and hold the suspects accountable, emphasizing the importance of protecting individuals’ reputations in the digital age.
In conclusion, the lawyers called for justice to be served to deter such malicious actions in the future and preserve the integrity and reputation of their client, Nathaniel Bassey.
