The Integrity Youth Alliance has cautioned an online news platform, Sahara Reporters, against spreading fake news, especially about the Nigeria police. For the past two months, the news medium has consistently spread falsehoods and undermined the Nigeria police’s integrity.
In a statement titled “Refrain from careless journalism,” the National Coordinator of the Integrity Youth Alliance, Kelvin Adegbenga, expressed shock that a media organisation with several years of experience would allow itself to be used so cheaply to destroy the reputation of the Nigeria Police.
“After our attention was drawn to some irresponsible contents of a story by Sahara Reporters’ titled “EXCLUSIVE: Nigerian Police Officer Demoted For Job Extortion Racket Reinstated After Intervention By Chief Of Staff Gbajabiamila, IG Egbetokun—Sources,” we wish to state that there is no iota of truth that SP Sidi Abubakar was demoted nor reinstated “after intervention from the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Inspector General of Police.”
“With our discreet investigation, we can authoritatively say that SP Sidi Abubakar is still under investigation. Therefore, in its usual fake news, Sahara Reporters said SP Sidi Abubakar “was punished just like every other erring officer. They demoted him from Superintendent of Police (SP) to Inspector. Some officers faced the same fate, while others were dismissed entirely.”
“We knew that Sahara Reporters is good at blackmailing the Nigeria police so that it can stay relevant because people love sensational stories; we never knew it could descend so low to undermine the Nigeria Police Integrity
The Alliance described as saddening the plot by Sahara Reporters’ and its financiers to fan the embers of crisis within the Nigeria police and the presidency, as there is no time the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, interfere in any case under investigation.
The Alliance implored the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to conduct an integrity test on Nigeria police personnel to know those who misrepresent facts about police activities to avoid a situation whereby they would destroy his reformation and professionalism legacies.
“We hereby urge the general public to disregard Sahara Reporters and its junk journalism, as there is no corruption and favouritism at the highest levels of the police force, the statement concluded.
