Nigeria: No, Nigeria's Electoral Commission Chair Mahmood Yakubu Was Not Arrested in the Us

No, Nigeria's electoral commission chair Mahmood Yakubu was not arrested in the US

IN SHORT: Multiple Facebook posts claim that Mahmood Yakubu was arrested in the US. This claim is false.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu is the chairperson of Nigeria's Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). A Facebook post claims he was arrested in Washington, DC. The post has been circulating since April 8, 2025.

The post states that Yakubu went to the US for medical reasons. It alleges he was arrested upon arrival.

The message reads: "Just In: INEC Chairman Arrested in Washington D.C." It claims he was detained immediately after arriving for a medical visit. Sources link his arrest to the controversial 2023 presidential election results.

In that election, Bola Tinubu was declared the winner despite concerns over unclear results. The post suggests Yakubu will appear in court on Monday.

Similar claims have appeared on various platforms.

INEC is responsible for registering voters and conducting elections. On March 1, 2023, INEC declared Bola Tinubu of the All Progressive Congress as the election winner. Opposition parties challenged these results in Nigerian courts, accusing INEC of rigging.

In October 2023, Nigeria's supreme court upheld Tinubu's victory.