The Integrity Youth Alliance said it is disturbed by Sahara Reporters’ malicious and organised smear campaign, which aims to incite police officers, stoke political unrest, and undermine the security system by making false and unfounded accusations within the force.
Reacting to a publication by Sahara Reporters titled “BREAKING: Police IG Egbetokun Assigns Roles To New DIGs Following Forced Retirement Of Galandachi, Others Amid Age Falsification Scandal,” the National Coordinator of the Alliance, Kelvin Adegbenga, said for the avoidance of doubt, no DIG was forced to retire.
“The police authorities did not force the retirement of DIGs Dasuki Galandachi, Ali Ari Muhammed, Rhoda Adetutu Olofu, Jonathan Towuru, Suleiman Yusuf, Banji Lawal Badru, and Bala Ciroma over allegations of age falsification and violations of service rules.
“Sahara Reporters, for lack of what to write, chose to present fallacies as news material. For Sahara Reporters to come out of nowhere and fabricate such falsehood explains how lies, fake news, and misinformation have become a stock of its trade: nothing is as irresponsible and satanic as this, Adegbenga said.
“All the retired DIGs have either reached 35 years of service in their job or they have turned 60 years old, as stipulated in the Nigeria Police Act (as amended); none of them was forced to retire, as mischievously published by Sahara Reporters.
“We further want to say that no mutiny brewed within the Nigeria Police Force as falsely published by Sahara Reporters. There is no single senior officer who resisted retirement.
“The Public Service Rules are very clear; the retirement of officers who have served for 35 years or reached the age of 60 is not debatable. The Police Service Commission never forced the retirement of many senior officers. The Deputy Inspectors General (DIGs), who retired a few days ago, have reached the peak of their careers in the Nigeria police.
“Sahara Reporters is notorious for armchair journalism, as it always hides under the umbrella of mischief to peddle falsehood with the intent of misleading gullible members of society.
“We are therefore calling on the general public to disregard the malicious report by Sahara reporters as a piece of journalistic indolence. The report is better characterised as fake, diabolical, and a piece of created mischief.
“Writing what does not exist is not just unfair but unethical. Relying on detractors to build a storyline is taking journalism to the gutters’, Adegbenga emphasised.
