By Our Correspondent
A civil society organisation, the Concerned Citizens Leadership Integrity and Transparency Advocacy Initiative (CLITA), has vehemently dismissed recent reports by online news platform Sahara Reporters concerning the immediate past Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, describing the publications as baseless and laden with mischief.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Friday, the Executive Director of CLITA, Isaiah Davies Ijele, launched a scathing attack on the publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyole Sowore, accusing him of being a serial purveyor of falsehoods whose primary aim is to tarnish the reputations of distinguished individuals who have served the nation meritoriously .
Ijele questioned the logic behind the report suggesting that the former IGP was nursing a senatorial ambition, barely two weeks after leaving office. “This self-acclaimed human rights activist, Omoyole Sowore, is a delusionist, a congenital, and perpetual liar who should be disregarded,” the statement read in part. “With these daily lies spewed by Sowore, it is safe to assert that he is suffering from a form of obsessive-compulsive disorder.”
The group challenged the factual basis of the political ambition claim, pointing out the procedural hurdles involved in vying for any elective office in Nigeria. “To contest for any elective office in Nigeria, one must be a registered member of and identify with a political party. The former IGP left office barely two weeks ago. At what point did he register or identify with a political party?” Ijele queried, emphasising the illogical nature of the report.
CLITA further took exception to the publication concerning the former IGP’s residence. The report had alleged that IGP Egbetokun was refusing to vacate the official lodge in Abuja. The group countered this by citing established precedent within the Nigeria Police Force. “By precedence, outgoing IGPs are usually allowed ample time to secure alternative accommodation to enable them to relocate peacefully,” Ijele explained. “It is on record that IGP Egbetokun’s predecessor, Usman Alkali Baba, remained in the IGP’s residence for about four months before relocating. So, what is this brouhaha about an IGP who only left office less than two weeks ago? It is clear that Omoyele Sowore and his tool for blackmail (Sahara Reporters) are only victims of what is known as Main Character Syndrome (MCS).”
Describing Sowore and his medium as “intoxicated bandits,” CLITA asserted that their mission is to misinform, malign, and disrupt the peace of innocent Nigerians. The group maintained that after serving his fatherland meritoriously, former IGP Egbetokun is entitled to a deserved rest, but that such “mercenaries” would not give peace a chance.
Regarding the report on the removal of the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, CLITA labelled it as false and a testament to lazy journalism . While acknowledging that a move for a redeployment was indeed contemplated, the group clarified that the process was subsequently suspended.
“A credible medium that is committed to upholding the ethics of journalism would have gone a bit further to confirm the authenticity of the information before going to press,” Ijele stated. “Nigeria is a well-respected country with respected media houses and journalists, but with Sowore and his blackmail tool (Sahara Reporters), a lot still needs to be done in terms of adhering to basic professional standards.”
The group’s intervention adds to the growing criticism of the online platform, which has recently been at the centre of controversies regarding its reporting on top government officials and security chiefs . It also comes on the heels of a recent court order restraining Sowore and Sahara Reporters from publishing defamatory content against the Egbetokun family pending the determination of a substantive suit .
CLITA called on the public to disregard the reports from Sahara Reporters, urging Nigerians to seek information from verified and responsible sources committed to truth and national stability.
