Renowned human rights advocate and publisher of the esteemed online news platform SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has knocked the administration of President Bola Tinubu, accusing it of orchestrating a malicious and defamatory campaign.
This campaign, according to Sowore, involves the fabrication of a spurious memorandum purporting to document a transaction wherein the Zamfara State government allegedly disbursed N100 million to SaharaReporters.
The purported memo suggests this payment was intended to facilitate media promotion of the state government’s “reconciliation efforts” amidst the escalating insecurity and its struggle against marauding terrorists and bandits, with the funds allegedly sourced from the State Security Trust Fund.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), described the motivations behind the memo by the Tinubu administration as sinister.
He contends that the government seeks to discredit and tarnish the reputation of SaharaReporters due to its unwavering commitment to exposing corruption and governmental malfeasance, which has evidently become an eyesore to the administration.
He said this while reacting to reports of a letter addressed to Governor Dauda Lawal of Zamfara State and signed by the Secretary to Zamfara State Government, Mallam Abubakar M. Nakwada, asking the governor to provide funds to finance the state government’s reconciliation programme with bandits in order to bring the menace of bandits to an end.
On Thursday, SaharaReporters reported that the Zamfara State government unequivocally refuted allegations of funnelling N1.378 billion from the State Security Trust Fund to notorious terrorist groups and media promoters. This alleged transaction was reportedly disguised as a legitimate expenditure for “reconciliation efforts.”
Part of the letter reads, “His Excellency may wish to take the cognisance of the fact that the level of insecurity in the state has now reached that of a dangerous cancer worm that has ravaged the fabrics of our social and psychological existence.
“In view of this urgent need and the directives by Your Excellency to provide funds to finance the state government reconciliation programme with bandits in order to bring the menace to an end, I wish to submit the proposal as follows for Your Excellency’s kind approval: A. Bandits Kingpins
“Kachalla Dogo Gide = N200,000,000; Kachalla Bello Turji = N200,000,000; Ado Alero = N200,000,000; Kachalla Halilu Sububu = N150,000,000; Gwaska Dan Karami = N150,000,000.
“Media Promoters: Sahara Reporters = N100, 000,000; Jackson Ude = N158,000,000; Bashir Hadejia = N100,000,000; Shuaibu Mungadi = N50,000.000; Tijjani Lamaran = N50,000,000; Danbilki Kwamanda = N20,000,000; Total = N1,378, 000,000.”
However, Zamfara State in a press briefing on Thursday denied the letter, describing the document as fake and the handiwork of political enemies.
Reacting to the report, Sowore in a statement issued on Friday said, “We feel obliged to inform the public that the Bola Tinubu regime has launched a new defamatory campaign against myself and @SaharaReporters.
“A suspicious memo purportedly from the Zamfara state government’s Secretary has been circulating, requesting substantial funds for prominent bandits and media outlets.
“Although the genuineness of this memo is uncertain due to the corrupt nature of Zamfara state officials, its purpose is clear: to discredit SaharaReporters for its unwavering stance against corruption and government malfeasance.
“As a result, SaharaReporters maintains its independence by rejecting Nigerian government patronage and avoiding engagement with government officials and agencies through the state house-based correspondent model.
“Notably, the circulation of this fabricated memo has also falsely implicated “Sowore” as a beneficiary.
“We recognise the desperation driving these actions but assure the public that these allegations are unfounded and intended to blackmail Sowore and SaharaReporters and like others before it, has failed.”
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