A Nigerian has publicly stated he reported a US-based compatriot to the FBI after the latter allegedly incited the murder of election officials and National Youth Service Corps members during a Twitter Space to back Peter Obi as president. The claim has ignited debate on diaspora rhetoric and accountability. Feature image: screenshot of the X post or Twitter Space interface.
On 20 June 2026, Dr Alhaji Kowope Cole publicly stated that he had reported Osaretin Gavin Omosigho, a Nigerian resident in the United States, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
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He accused the latter of inciting violence against National Youth Service Corps members and electoral officers during an online discussion on the social media platform X.
Dr Alhaji Kowope Cole wrote that he would not remain silent while hearing calls for the killing of election personnel made from the safety of the USA by someone professing greater love for Nigeria and a desire to see Peter Obi become president.
He confirmed in the post that he was the individual who had made the report to the FBI.
The post was accompanied by video and photographic media, including what appears to be footage from a Twitter Space session.
The claims relate to comments allegedly made during an open microphone discussion in which participants addressed Nigerian political figures and the conduct of elections.
The statement has generated hundreds of engagements and dozens of replies on X within hours.
Many users expressed support for the decision to report the matter, describing it as a necessary response to dangerous language.
Others highlighted the broader pattern of heated political exchanges involving diaspora voices and the risks such rhetoric poses when it targets those responsible for running elections or young graduates serving under the NYSC scheme.
Nigeria is approaching the 2027 general elections amid heightened political sensitivity. Past electoral cycles have seen violence directed at electoral officials, security personnel and corps members deployed across the country, sometimes far from their home states.
Calls that advocate harm against these groups are regarded by many observers as particularly corrosive because they strike at the machinery of democratic participation itself.
Dr Alhaji Kowope Cole framed his action as a straightforward civic duty. In his words: “What I Won’t Do Is Be On A Space & Hear You Incite Violence In Nigeria While You Live Peacefully In USA & Not Report It.”
He added: “Yes, It Is Me Who Reported You To The FBI.”
It is essential to note that these remain allegations made on social media. The FBI has not confirmed receipt of any report or the launch of an investigation.
Osaretin Gavin Omosigho has not issued a public response in the visible thread.
Any assessment of whether specific statements crossed into incitement would require the full context of the conversation, a verified recording or transcript, and application of the relevant legal standards.
Under United States law, political speech enjoys strong protection, yet speech that incites imminent lawless action falls outside that safeguard.
Determining whether comments made about events in Nigeria by a person located in the US meet that threshold is a matter for the appropriate authorities to examine with evidence.
The episode underscores the complex intersection of online political discourse, diaspora influence, and real-world consequences in Nigeria’s charged electoral environment.
While robust debate is a feature of democratic life, advocacy of violence against those tasked with delivering elections or serving the nation carries the potential to intimidate participants and erode public confidence in the process.
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Dr Alhaji Kowope Cole’s decision to make the report public has itself become part of the conversation, prompting reflection on individual responsibility when encountering extreme rhetoric and on the limits of what can be said from abroad without consequence.
Quadri Olaitan is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, public affairs, and human-interest stories.
