On Friday, March 28, 2025, claims emerged on social media that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, collapsed in Abuja due to excessive alcohol consumption.
As the reports gained traction, many started asking whether the former governor of Rivers State, now serving as the FCT Minister, had truly suffered a health crisis.
The claim was published on Facebook by Ijaw Matters View Point, a user with 29K followers, and in no time, it spread like wildfire, springing up on numerous social media handles and blogs.
According to the user, Wike collapsed during a meeting in Abuja due to excessive alcohol consumption.
The post also claimed that the FCT Minister had been diagnosed with partial stroke and rushed to France for medical attention.
The post reads in part: “BREAKING NEWS:
“Wike Collapses in Abuja Meeting Due to Excessive Alcohol, Diagnosed with Partial Stroke
“Former Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, reportedly collapsed during a meeting in Abuja due to excessive alcohol consumption. Doctors have confirmed that this has led to a partial stroke, and he has been rushed to France for urgent medical treatment.
“Drama unfolded at the Abuja meeting as Wike suddenly collapsed and was immediately taken to the State House Clinic, where doctors detected a high level of alcohol in his system, which they say triggered the stroke.“
Screenshot from Facebook
As of the time of this check, the said post has gained 508 impressions, 430 comments, and 251 shares.
Other Facebook users who shared this information include: Nnanna Isaac Arukwe, Progressive Nigerian Politics, Breaking News Naija, etc.
Verification
Given the high profile of Nyesom Wike and the political implications of such claims, it’s essential to dissect this rumour with a careful and methodical fact-checking approach.
Notably, Ijaw Matters and every other user that published this information failed to provide any evidence.
No source was quoted, and no reference was given.
Where else do we begin our factcheck if not the number one search engine, Google?
Thankfully, the hashtag; Wike Collapse, was already trending.
All we did was use the trending hashtag as our search query.
We found that no news platform published the report.
Screenshot from Google
Let’s proceed to YouTube for our next verification.
We entered the same query; Wike Collapse, and we found no video evidence to support the claim.
Screenshot from YouTube
Before we give our verdict, let us visit Wike’s social handles, maybe we could find some useful information.
After a rigorous search on Facebook, we found a handle belonging to the Minister.
The handle; Nyesom Ezenwo Wike – CON GSSRS, has 498K followers, and follows only two accounts.
Screenshot from Facebook
Furthermore, we found that on the date the alleged collapse was supposed to have occurred, Nyesom Wike was publicly active and engaging in official duties.
A post via his Facebook page shows the minister inspecting ongoing projects in Abuja, including the Outer Southern Expressway and Inner Northern Expressway, which directly contradicted reports claiming he was unable to attend meetings due to health issues.
Wike’s post read: “I visited the sites of the 15-kilometer left-hand service carriageway of the Outer Southern Expressway (OSEX) from Ring Road 1 to Wasa Junction, 16-kilometer Inner Northern Expressway (INEX) from Ring Road III to the Idu Industrial area, connecting the Kubwa/Zuba expressway and the Abuja Division of the Court of Appeal office Complex in Dakibiu, Jabi District, and its access road from the Obafemi Awolowo Way which is is expected to be completed by September.”
Screenshot from Facebook
Furthermore, we found that Wike was awarded by the Body of Benchers, a prestigious legal body in Nigeria, on the same day, a fact that was widely reported by established news outlets.
Wike’s post reads: “Happy to have been honoured with an Award of Recognition by the Body of Benchers, during their courtesy visit to my office today.
“Members of the Body of Benchers were led by the Chairman, Chief Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN).
“As a lawyer, I will not relent in contributing my quota to the advancement of the legal profession”.
Screenshot from Facebook
Additionally, during our Google search, we found a report that further buried the claim.
We found that Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communications and Social Media to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, had debunked reports claiming that his principal slumped in Abuja.
This report was published by Daily Post and other reputable media outlets.
Conclusion: The Fact-Checked Verdict
After examining all the available evidence, it’s clear that the claims of Nyesom Wike collapsing in Abuja due to excessive alcohol consumption are false.
There is no credible evidence supporting this claim.
Given Wike’s political prominence, it’s possible that these rumours were aimed at tarnishing his reputation, sparking confusion, and gathering engagements.
Fact-Check Tools Explored:
1. Google
2. Facebook
3. YouTube (Video Verification)
