Former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff has denied accusing Vice-President Kashim Shettima of creating Boko Haram.
Sheriff made the rebuttal in a statement by his media office titled: ‘A lie taken too far: Shettima, Sheriff not on war path.’
The former governor said the story is false in its entirety and urged members of the public to ignore it.
The statement reads: “The attention of Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, former Governor of Borno State and respected elder statesman, has been drawn to a false and malicious publication circulating online under the headline ‘It’s Not Me, It’s Shettima Who Created Boko Haram – Sheriff Reveals.’
“The said story is a complete fabrication, devoid of truth, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public, malign the person of Senator Sheriff, and sow discord within the nation’s political landscape.
“Senator Sheriff categorically denies ever making such a statement, and wishes to state unequivocally that at no time did he grant any interview or engage with any journalist on the said date or on any matter remotely related to the spurious claims contained
in the publication.”
Sheriff said the false report is not only mischievous, but also a dangerous piece of fake news aimed at undermining years of his contributions to peace, national unity, and development, both in Borno State and across Nigeria.
It added: “The Senator maintains his unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s security and stability, and he finds it deeply regrettable that unscrupulous individuals and platforms would resort to peddling falsehoods to score cheap political points or attract undue attention.
“Members of the public and the media are therefore urged to disregard this concocted story in its entirety and desist from further sharing or amplifying it.
“Senator Sheriff has instructed his legal team to take immediate steps to identify all individuals, bloggers, or media outlets responsible for the dissemination of this defamatory material.
“Should the false publication not be retracted and taken down forthwith, the Senator will not hesitate to seek full legal redress under the law. “He remains committed to upholding truth, justice, and accountability, and will rigorously pursue justice to ensure that such reckless misinformation does not go unpunished.”
