Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
Today, many truth verification websites checked out a viral photograph showing Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan, the Senator representing Borno Central, seated beside a table laden with cash sparked intense debate across social media platforms in May 2026, with many questioning whether the image was authentic or manipulated. The controversy began after the senator's legislative assistant, Usman Alkali, announced on Facebook that Lawan had distributed N135,650,000 to All Progressives Congress (APC) executives across his constituency as Sallah packages ahead of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration. Multiple media reports and digital verification have confirmed that the cash distribution event did take place, with no evidence that the visuals were AI-generated or manipulated, though the debate over whether the money should have been used differently continues.
According to reports, Senator Lawan distributed the funds on Thursday, 14 May 2026, to APC executives across the eight local government areas in Borno Central Senatorial District. Alkali disclosed that the gesture marks the third time the senator has made such a donation since becoming a member of the National Assembly, describing it as a way of appreciating party executives for their contributions to strengthening democratic processes and upholding its principles. “Senator representing Borno Central, Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan (SAN), on Thursday distributed cash to APC executives in his Borno Central constituency, totalling N135,650,000 to help them celebrate the upcoming Eid-Kabir festival,” Alkali wrote in a Facebook post that was later translated by journalists.
The announcement, however, generated widespread outrage on social media, with many Nigerians calling on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission to investigate the lawmaker for alleged money laundering. Critics argued that the display of such a large sum of cash, particularly during a period of widespread economic hardship, was insensitive and raised questions about the source of the funds. Some social media users questioned whether the distribution violated electoral laws or amounted to a misuse of public office, while others accused the senator of attempting to buy loyalty within his party.
In response to the public uproar, the EFCC issued a statement on Saturday, 16 May 2026, clarifying that it would only act based on facts and formal complaints, not social media reactions or speculations. The commission's spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, told Sunday PUNCH that any individual or group that believes the lawmaker may have violated any law should officially report the matter to the agency. “Anybody who feels that he (Lawan) has contravened the law or he is suspected to have contravened the law should write a petition to the EFCC and the EFCC will look into it,” Oyewale said. “It is not enough to be making commentaries on social media and all of that, the EFCC works with facts and not speculations.”
The controversy was further fuelled by reports that another Borno lawmaker, House of Representatives member Abdulkadir Rahis, representing Maiduguri Metropolitan constituency, had followed suit with a N26 million cash distribution to 442 APC executives in his constituency. Rahis, who was declared winner of the recent primary election and is seeking a fifth consecutive term, described the gesture as part of his long-standing tradition of supporting party loyalists during festive periods. The event brought together party executives, ward officials, supporters, and stakeholders from across the constituency, but it also drew criticism from those who questioned the practice of transporting and displaying huge sums of cash in the open.
Senator Lawan's cash distribution came amid recent political developments in Borno State. The senator had earlier withdrawn from the Borno governorship race and endorsed Mustapha Gubio, the candidate reportedly backed by Governor Babagana Zulum. According to Alkali, the decision followed a stakeholders' meeting in Abuja where it was agreed that Lawan would step down from the governorship contest and retain his seat in the Senate. The cash distribution, therefore, was seen by some as a move to consolidate his influence within the party structure following his withdrawal from the governorship race.
Fact-checking organisations, including Halt Fake, conducted digital verification of the viral images and found no evidence that the photographs were AI-generated or manipulated. The images, which showed Senator Lawan seated beside a table stacked with cash, were confirmed to be authentic representations of the event. However, the fact-checkers noted that while the distribution event itself was verified, opinions on whether the money should have been used differently remain matters of public debate rather than verifiable fact.
The EFCC has not publicly announced any formal investigation into Senator Lawan's cash distribution as of 7 July 2026, and the senator has maintained that the gesture was a legitimate act of appreciation for party executives who have worked to strengthen democracy in his constituency. However, the controversy has once again raised questions about the use of cash in Nigerian politics, the transparency of political financing, and the responsibilities of public office holders in a country grappling with economic hardship. For now, the viral photograph of Senator Kaka Shehu Lawan seated beside N135 million in cash remains a powerful symbol of the intersection of money, politics, and public perception in Nigeria's democratic journey.
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