Nigerian lawyer Stan Alieke has issued a stern warning about the careless use of “allegedly” on social media, debunking the myth that it serves as a safeguard against defamation lawsuits. In a recent Instagram post, Alieke clarified that tacking “allegedly” onto a statement doesn’t automatically protect users from legal accountability.
Alieke pointed out a common misconception among Nigerians: that the term acts as a shield from the consequences of defamatory remarks. He stressed that if a statement damages someone’s reputation without solid evidence—whether tagged as “alleged” or not—it can still trigger a lawsuit. “’Allegedly’ is probably the most misused word in Nigeria right now,” he wrote. “In legal terms, it refers to an unproven claim or something a nameless source said, but it’s not a magic bullet against defamation suits.”
He cautioned that courts don’t take such qualifiers lightly. If someone attributes a claim to a source, they’ll be required to identify it—or risk being held accountable as the originator. Alieke added, “You can’t deliberately defame someone or spread lies, then think sprinkling ‘allegedly’ on it will save you if the person sues. Even if you’re just passing along falsehoods, the defamed party can still come after you, whether the original source is traceable or not.”
His message is clear: reckless gossipers banking on “allegedly” as a defense may find themselves in legal hot water if they can’t back up their words.
