- Dabiri-Erewa confronted Rufai Oseni over a false anti-Igbo claim he shared.
- Oseni reportedly admitted that he didn’t verify the misleading Peoples Gazette report.
- The clash adds to Oseni’s streak of public controversies.
When the Chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, confronted controversial Arise News anchor Rufai Oseni over a false report about her that he promoted on his X account, the latter struggled to defend himself.
The confrontation occurred during The Ethics of Governance event at Eko Hotels, Lagos, on Thursday, October 23, 2025.
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Background
The controversy began on September 1, 2025, when Dabiri-Erewa posted a video of a trafficked girl she identified as Mercy, who was rescued from Libya.
In response to the post, an X user, Wale Akerele (@akerele_s), commended the NiDCOM boss for her work while berating her critics as “those monkeys” who “continue to make unnecessary noises” because “they are born to be ungrateful people.” He further attacked “those animals tagging you [Dabiri-Erewa]; they are children of gorilla. History told us about them.”
My sister you are doing well allow those monkeys to continue to make unnecessary noises they are born to be ungrateful people. Those animals tagging you they are children of gorilla history told us about them. Kudos to you madam @abikedabiri @Voiceofigbos see what my sister has…
— Wale S Akerele (@akerele_s) September 1, 2025
Although Akerele tagged an X account, @voiceofigbos, to the post — asking the user to “see what my sister [Dabiri-Erewa] has done” — there was no reference to Igbo people in general (citizens of Nigeria’s South-East) as the target of his insults. His comments appeared directed specifically at the @voiceofigbos account owner and other online critics of the NiDCOM chairman.
In apparent approval of Akerele’s scolding of her critics, Dabiri-Erewa reacted to the post with laughing emojis. This prompted controversial news outlet Peoples Gazette to report on September 3 that the NiDCOM boss had shared and amplified a “post calling Igbos monkeys.”
However, the post in question did NOT call Igbos monkeys; it was directed at critics who had been trolling Dabiri-Erewa on X. Akerele later clarified his position, stating that his comments were not aimed at the entire Igbo population.
“Who called Igbos monkeys? Show me in that post where I said Igbos are monkeys,” he challenged Peoples Gazette. “I said those monkeys tagging her. If I now decide to sue you for defamation, you aren’t worth my time at all.”
@GazetteNGR who called IGBOs monkeys? Show me in that post where I said IGBOs are monkeys. I said those monkeys tagging her. If I now decide to sue you for defamation, you aren't worth my time at all. Let all the dogs bark, but the lion won't look back at a bunch of crying… pic.twitter.com/fYWmawqTUX
— Wale S Akerele (@akerele_s) September 4, 2025
Despite this clarification, Oseni failed to verify Peoples Gazette’s report before amplifying it. He shared the false story, commenting that “This is wrong,” and implying that the NiDCOM chairman was promoting hate against an entire ethnic group.
This is wrong
People’s gazette reported this
Abike Dabiri-Erewa, chairman of the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NIDCOM), on Wednesday amplified a derogatory X post that referred to Igbos, Nigerian citizens of South-East extraction, as monkeys and gorillas.
Mrs Dabiri-Erewa…
— oseni rufai (@ruffydfire) September 3, 2025
The Confrontation
Nearly two months later, Dabiri-Erewa and Oseni crossed paths at the Lagos event, where the Arise TV anchor was a panelist. After his remarks, the journalist proceeded to greet some of the guests, including Dabiri-Erewa.
The NiDCOM boss subsequently confronted Oseni, who denied knowingly spreading false information. She asked him if he was aware that the offensive statements were actually directed at an account named Voice of Igbo—allegedly owned by a Lagos-based woman—who had repeatedly used derogatory terms such as “mother ape,” “bigot,” and other insults against her.
The Arise TV anchor reportedly admitted that he was unaware of that context, prompting Dabiri-Erewa to challenge him to stop relying on unverified sources and platforms known for misinformation. Despite Oseni’s attempts to explain himself—insisting he had not personally made defamatory remarks—the atmosphere reportedly became tense. He eventually left the venue as the NiDCOM chairman began her panel session.
Oseni’s History of Public Spats
This is not the first time Oseni has been involved in a public confrontation with a government official. In August 2022, the journalist was involved in a traffic incident with a police officer. Although he accused the officer of pointing a gun at him, then-Lagos Police spokesperson, CSP Benjamin Hundeyin, clarified that Oseni was apprehended for driving on a restricted lane. He was subsequently found guilty of contravening the Lagos State Transport Law (2018) and fined ₦70,000.
UPDATE: Mr Rufai Oseni was in court earlier today. He was found guilty of contravening Lagos State Transport Law (2018). He was subsequently fined Seventy Thousand Naira Only. He made the payment, after which his vehicle was released to him. https://t.co/Yhkc0FquyS
— ACP Benjamin Hundeyin (@BenHundeyin) August 2, 2022
More recently, Oseni engaged in a heated on-air exchange with the Minister of Works, David Umahi, after accusing the minister of reporting him to President Bola Tinubu over questions he had previously raised about the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project.
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“After you have gone to report me to President Tinubu and said all sorts, I’m not beholden to you,” Oseni told the minister during the interview. As tensions rose, he also interjected, “If you can just keep quiet,”—a remark widely criticized as disrespectful.
Philip Ibitoye is a Special Correspondent with EKO HOT BLOG. Click here to find daily analysis and critical insight on trending issues in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria.
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