Nigerian singer Simi has become a target of intense social media criticism following the confession of a TikToker identified as Mirabel, who admitted that her widely circulated rape allegation was entirely fabricated.
The controversy began on February 18, when a video surfaced on TikTok in which Mirabel claimed she had been raped and injured with a blade inside her home.
The video spread rapidly, triggering outrage and emotional reactions across social media platforms.
While many Nigerians initially believed her account and condemned the alleged act, others expressed doubt, pointing to inconsistencies in the video and accusing Mirabel of seeking attention.
Amid the heated debate, Simi took to X, formerly Twitter, to speak against rape culture. She urged men to hold fellow men accountable and questioned why people felt uncomfortable when rapists were called out.
Her comments, however, drew immediate backlash from critics who accused her of deliberately ignoring the issue of false rape accusations.
The situation worsened when an old tweet she posted in 2016 was resurfaced and misinterpreted, further fuelling the criticism against her.
As the backlash intensified, a fake apology screenshot began circulating online as a meme mocking the singer. She was also mockingly dubbed “Ikorodu Celine Dion” by some social media users.
Standing her ground, Simi maintained that sexual violence against women remains rampant and that false claims should not be used to silence genuine victims.
“Almost every woman I know personally has been sexually assaulted at some point in their lives. You cannot think it is okay to shut people up from speaking up about assault because some people lie,” she wrote.
She acknowledged that those who fabricate allegations should face consequences but stressed that accountability for false claims was not the conversation she was engaging in.
“How many of your male friends have they lied against? How many of your friends have actually assaulted women? Women are terrified to go out. Women in their homes are not safe either. STOP RAPING WOMEN,” she added.
The controversy took a fresh turn when social media activist VeryDarkMan disclosed that he had spoken with Mirabel directly over the phone, during which she admitted that the rape allegation was false.
Mirable also confessed to creating the fake TikTok account that had been sending her threatening messages.
VeryDarkMan revealed that Mirabel described herself as lost and helpless, and disclosed that she is an 18-year-old orphan who identifies as a lesbian and struggles with addiction to alcohol and codeine.
She also admitted to engaging in self-harm.
Appealing to Nigerians, VeryDarkMan urged the public to show compassion and refrain from harsh judgment, emphasising that mental health challenges are real and should be treated with sensitivity.
He added that arrangements were underway to have Mirabel admitted into a rehabilitation centre.
Meanwhile, the case has since been transferred to Ogun State for further investigation by the appropriate authorities.
