By Our Correspondent
Barely two weeks after the change of guard at the Force Headquarters in Abuja, a fresh war of words has erupted between a civil society organisation and an online news platform over the narrative surrounding the immediate past administration of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Concerned Citizens Leadership Integrity and Transparency Advocacy Initiative (CLITA) has risen in strong defence of the immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the outgoing Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, accusing the Sahara Reporters medium of engaging in a sustained campaign of calumny against them .
In a statement laden with strong rhetoric, the Executive Director of CLITA, Isaiah Davies Ijele, did not mince words in his assessment of the publisher, Omoyole Sowore. He characterised the activist-publisher as a “rabble-rouser” whose stock-in-trade is “perpetual mischief and the spewing of unverified lies aimed at dragging hard-earned reputations into the mud.”
The group’s anger was directed at two specific publications. The first was the allegation that the former IGP was covertly nursing a senatorial ambition. CLITA dismissed this as a product of a delusional mind, questioning the logistics of such a move given the short time frame since his retirement from active service. “This self-acclaimed human rights activist is a delusionist,” Ijele fumed. “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 any political party?” .
The second point of contention was the report that IGP Egbetokun was illegally occupying the official residence meant for the IGP. CLITA provided context that appears to have been missing from the Sahara Reporters story, citing a long-standing convention within the Force. “By precedence, outgoing IGPs are usually allowed enough time to secure an apartment to enable them to relocate peacefully,” Ijele explained. He drew a direct comparison with the immediate past, noting that IGP Usman Alkali Baba remained in the official residence for approximately four months before vacating. The group argued that targeting an IGP who left office less than a fortnight ago is indicative of a malicious intent rather than a quest for truth. “It is clear that Omoyele Sowore and his tool for blackmail (Sahara Reporters) are only victims of Main Character Syndrome (MCS),” he added.
Beyond the former IGP, CLITA also addressed the report concerning the redeployment of ACP Benjamin Hundeyin as the Force Public Relations Officer. While mainstream media have confirmed that ACP Hundeyin is indeed set to vacate his position following the appointment of a new IGP, CLITA insisted that the Sahara Reporters’ version of the story was false and premature . The group argued that while a decision regarding his tenure was initially considered, it was suspended, and therefore reporting it as a fait accompli was a breach of journalistic ethics.
“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. Nigeria is a well-respected country with respected mediums and journalists, but with Sowore and his blackmail tool, a lot still needs to be done,” Ijele stated, lamenting what he perceives as the erosion of professional standards.
This confrontation occurs against a backdrop of heightened legal scrutiny of the online medium. A Federal High Court in Abuja recently issued an interim injunction restraining Sowore and Sahara Reporters from publishing further defamatory content against the Egbetokun family, specifically regarding their son, Victor Egbetokun . The court order, which is valid pending the determination of a substantive suit, highlights the judiciary’s concern over the potential for reputational damage caused by unverified online publications.
Political analysts suggest that the tension between citizen journalism and established media ethics is coming to a head in Nigeria. While platforms like Sahara Reporters have historically played a role in holding power to account, critics argue that the line between activism, advocacy, and accurate reporting is often blurred.
For his part, ACP Benjamin Hundeyin, who has been widely praised for modernising the Force’s digital communication, is reportedly preparing to hand over, though an official announcement from the new IGP’s office is still awaited . His tenure, though brief, was marked by proactive engagement with the public and a robust social media presence .
As the dust settles on the change in police leadership, CLITA’s intervention serves as a reminder of the ongoing battle over public perception and the narratives that shape it. The group has called on the public to dismiss what it termed the “laughable falsehoods” emanating from Sahara Reporters and to support media houses that adhere to the ethics of the profession.
