ABUJA – National Security Adviser Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has firmly refuted allegations that he labeled President Bola Tinubu, along with Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, as corrupt during his tenure as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Ribadu’s statement comes in response to claims made by Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, leader of Northern Star, who criticized him in a recent TikTok video for his current role in Tinubu’s administration despite previously condemning the president when he was EFCC chairman.
The NSA described the allegations as malicious and has demanded a public apology and retraction from Muhammad within seven days. In a letter from his lawyer, Dr. Ahmed Raji, SAN, Ribadu stated that he has never publicly or privately accused Tinubu or the two senators of corruption.
The letter highlights specific claims made by Muhammad, asserting that Ribadu had previously identified Tinubu and the senators as significant offenders in the misappropriation of public funds. It further emphasizes that Ribadu’s current defense of Tinubu contradicts any past assertions of corruption made against him.
Ribadu’s letter reads: “Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him. In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the President; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him.”
Ribadu has challenged Muhammad to provide evidence for her claims, which he argues have painted him as duplicitous and deceitful. He also expressed concern over the potential incitement of violence stemming from her remarks, stating that her actions aim to tarnish his reputation and goodwill.
The letter warns that if an apology and retraction are not issued in at least five national daily newspapers within the specified timeframe, Ribadu will consider legal action against Muhammad, seeking exemplary damages for the harm caused to his reputation.
Part of the letter read:
Although masked as a clarion call to the North to rise up to your perceived injustice against the North by the government of the day, your publication is also inciteful of violence towards our client. Given this far-reaching ramification of your publication, our client will not sit back and watch his hard-earned reputation and goodwill destroyed by your malicious decision to not only lay false allegations against him, but also, to cause the same to be published for the world’s attention.
“Your intention to bring our client to public ridicule, opprobrium, scorn and shame etc., is laid bare when it is considered that you deliberately caused same to be published on social media, where it has since gone viral.
“Surely, the damage occasioned to our client by your deliberate but ill-advised action is unquantifiable.
“However, our client will be assuaged if you retract the said publication and tender an unreserved public apology to him in at least five national daily newspapers within seven days of receipt of this letter.
“If not, we have our client’s further instructions to seek redress against you in a court of law where exemplary damages will be claimed against you. Kindly be advised.”
