Panic rocked Nollywood circles on Monday after rumours swirled online claiming popular actor and Nigerian Film Corporation (NFC) Managing Director, Ali Nuhu, had died in a car crash — but the government agency has now come out swinging, dismissing the reports as fake, malicious, and punishable.
The rumour, which started after a Facebook user identified as Ifeoma Chigbo posted a video announcing Nuhu’s “death,” spread like wildfire across WhatsApp and TikTok, sparking grief among fans, with many reposting condolence messages before verifying.
Another version of the fake report alleged the Kannywood veteran was involved in a fatal auto accident while travelling for an official assignment — a claim quickly amplified by gossip blogs hungry for traffic.
Reacting in an official statement issued on August 19, 2025, NFC’s Director of Public Affairs, Brian Etuk, declared that Dr. Ali Nuhu is “alive, well, and fully discharging his official responsibilities” as Managing Director/Chief Executive — a position he has held since his appointment by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on February 12, 2024.
The Corporation described the viral claims as “malicious and injurious” to Nuhu’s reputation, announcing that measures have already been activated to track and prosecute individuals behind the misinformation. It insisted fake death announcements were not only irresponsible but dangerous to public peace.
Etuk cautioned that perpetrators and their sponsors would face “dire consequences” under cybercrime laws, stressing that the NFC was working closely with security agencies to curb what it called a rising trend of digital assassinations of public figures.
Fans, filmmakers and colleagues have since bombarded Nuhu’s verified social media pages with relief messages, celebrating his safety. Industry stakeholders have also renewed calls for strict regulation to curb the spread of harmful fake news within Nigeria’s entertainment ecosystem.
