Key Points
- A viral red screen post claims Obiano has died. No official source has confirmed his death yet.
- The claim spread across Facebook and WhatsApp groups. Fact-checkers urge readers to wait for confirmation now.
- ValidUpdates sought comment from Obiano’s office and police. No reply had arrived at the time of publishing.
A plain red-image post claiming former governor Willie Obiano has died circulated online on Friday. The graphic used bold white text to state his death and was shared widely on Facebook and WhatsApp.
The claim moved quickly through private chats and public comment threads on social platforms. We reached out to Obiano’s office and to the police for confirmation without success.Paystack suspends co-founder Ezra Olubi.
No national news outlet or official government channel had published an obituary or confirmation by midday. The lack of reports from major outlets suggests the social post is unverified and should be treated cautiously.
What we could verify
Fact-check sources and local reporters found no credible evidence supporting the death claim. Official spokespeople did not confirm the report when contacted, and public records show no announcement from family or government.
A spokesman for the state police said they were unaware of any such death and asked for time to check the claim. The spokesman requested that the public avoid sharing unverified images while officers investigate.
Background
Willie Obiano served as Anambra governor from 2014 to 2022 and has remained a public figure since leaving office. He previously faced legal scrutiny after leaving office, and rumours about public figures have circulated in similar ways before.
Social platforms often amplify brief, attention-grabbing images without verification. Readers should wait for statements from family, the police, or recognised news outlets before treating such posts as fact
