The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) says it will pursue the arrest of individuals behind a fake X (formerly Twitter) account linked to its chairman, Joash Amupitan, after a forensic investigation cleared him of any involvement.
The controversy began weeks ago when screenshots circulated online claiming the INEC chairman operated an X account, @joashamupitan, and posted a partisan message, “Victory is sure,” in reply to another user. Additional images later surfaced, allegedly showing emails, phone numbers, BVN records and data breach links tying the professor to the account. These claims spread widely before verification.
In a statement signed by Chief Press Secretary Adedayo Oketola, INEC cautioned the public against sharing unverified social media content.
Investigation finds impersonation
INEC said an independent forensic and cybersecurity investigation found that the allegations were “fabricated, technically impossible and part of a coordinated disinformation campaign.”
According to the report, which used X platform data, OSINT tools, internet archive records and timestamp analysis, Prof. Amupitan “does not operate any personal X account.”
A key finding stated, “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.”
Investigators said the account in question was created in September 2022 but had no connection to the chairman’s known email or official institutional contacts.
On the viral post, the report noted, “The alleged reply ‘Victory is sure’ was posted 13 minutes before the original post it responded to. This is physically impossible on any digital platform.”
It added that the reply could not be found on X or in archived records, stating, “The reply has never existed on X. It is absent from both live threads and historical records.”
The report also said the Internet Archive (Wayback Machine) showed no trace of the account or its activity before April 2026.
Account activity suggests cover-up
Investigators identified what they described as a “deliberate impersonation pattern.”
They noted that on the same day the screenshots went viral, the account changed its name from @joashamupitan to @sundayvibe00, switched to private mode, and was labelled a “Parody Account.”
“The renaming and ‘parody’ label is consistent with damage-control by an impersonator,” the report stated.
The probe also linked at least seven fake accounts on Facebook and Instagram to similar identity misuse, describing it as a “multi-platform coordinated impersonation effort.”
No link to personal data
The investigation dismissed claims that the account was connected to Amupitan through email, phone number or BVN records.
While confirming the chairman’s phone number is valid, investigators said, “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.”
They added that multiple attempts to recover or verify the account through X tools failed to connect it to any official identity belonging to the INEC chairman.
Case referred for prosecution
INEC said it has referred the matter to law enforcement agencies for investigation under the Cybercrimes 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 statement said.
“The public is advised to refrain from sharing or amplifying unverified screenshots. Media organisations must apply strict verification standards before publication.”
The commission also called on platforms including X, Meta and Instagram to strengthen their response systems against impersonation of public officials.
INEC reiterated that Prof. Amupitan does not operate any personal social media account and that all official communication will come through verified INEC channels.
“Any account purporting to represent the INEC Chairman should be treated as fraudulent unless confirmed through official sources,” the statement added.
