Three individuals have been arrested after a fabricated social media campaign falsely claimed that Tony O. Elumelu, Companion of the Federal Republic (CFR) and Group Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), had divorced his wife, Awele Elumelu.
UBA issued a formal statement on Sunday confirming the arrests and describing the circulating claims as deliberate falsehoods intended to damage the reputation of its chairman and the institution. The bank named the three suspects as Kingsley Akunemeihe, known on social media as @Directorkem; Chigozie Success Ihebom; and John Surpruchi Nwanorue, known as @problemchimky. Investigations are ongoing and further arrests are expected.
The rumour, which spread rapidly across platforms including Facebook, X, and WhatsApp in recent weeks, falsely alleged that Elumelu had separated from his wife following a DNA paternity dispute. No credible media outlet confirmed the claims at the time they circulated, and fact-checking organisations in Nigeria subsequently established them to be baseless.
Alero Ladipo, UBA Group Head of Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communication, signed the formal notice, which demands that all individuals and platforms still carrying the content remove it immediately, stop further amplification, and preserve all digital records pending legal proceedings.
UBA warned that failure to comply will expose parties to defamation claims, injunctive relief, and damages under applicable law. The bank stated it will pursue both civil and criminal remedies to hold all responsible parties accountable.
The Elumelus, who have been married for over 30 years and have seven children, were last seen together publicly in February 2026 when they mourned the passing of Awele Elumelu’s father, Chief Israel Ogbue.
