by Kolapo Olapoju

 

Online news platform, Sahara Reporters is presently in the middle of a verbal warfare with the Nigerian military after it was accused of being a propaganda medium for Islamic terrorist sect, Boko Haram.

On Saturday, December 27, the Nigerian Army released a statement on its website, alleging that Sahara Reporters is in league with Boko Haram,to dispel propaganda and information on behalf of the sect, and ultimately support terrorism.

The Army’s statement was a reaction to a publication on Sahara Reporters’ website, titled “Nigerian Army Presents Unverified “Lt Col” To Refute Petition Against Military Hierarchy”.

In the report, the news site claimed that the military hierarchy presented a phony officer, Lt Col Wende, to deny filing a petition against it.

However, in a statement signed by Brigadier General Olajide Laleye, Director, Army Public Relations, the military said: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to a publication on the website of Sahara Reporters with the caption “Nigerian Army Presents Unverified “Lt Col” To Refute Petition Against Military Hierarchy.”

“It is noteworthy but sad and unfortunate that Sahara Reporters has committed itself to support for terrorism and fighting Nigeria, its people, its military and particularly the Nigerian Army.”

“Before Sahara Reporters published their purported document described as petition from Lt Col Wende, a serving Commanding Officer, the Nigerian Army conducted a thorough investigation on the document involving other security and intelligence agencies. The process confirmed that the serving officer was not the author of the petition.”

“Yesterday, the officer dissociated himself from the so-called petition in a press conference he personally attended. While reputable media organizations were on hand to engage the officer, Sahara Reporters being a faceless medium, preferred to remain faceless and was not represented. Sahara Reporters sadly, but predictably, and in fulfilment of its support for terrorism published in its website a fabrication in which it referred to the officer as “unverified”. How absurd!

Furthermore, the statement said: “Sahara Reporters has strived hard to present itself as a propaganda medium for terrorism and Boko Haram in particular. It is with this in mind, that the Nigerian Army conducted a press conference in Maiduguri in which the officer who appeared for the press conference is Lt Col Wende, a serving officer of the Nigerian Army. Since the officer has clearly dissociated himself from the document, it makes sense that the so-called petition is the handiwork of Sahara Reporters. With time, terrorism in Nigeria and Sahara Reporters will be defeated by the collective will of the good people of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, has responded to accusations by the Nigerian army, describing it as “cheap blackmail”. In a chat with The Paradigm, Sowore stated that the Nigerian Army has become a petty organization.

He dismissed the allegations, saying: “The US Government was similarly accused of working for Boko Haram for refusing to sell helicopters to the Nigerian Army

“The Nigerian Army has been reduced to a petty organization. The other day they deployed their men chasing after newspaper delivery vans across Nigeria because some were critical of their handling of the anti-terrorism fight. Since they can’t find or arrest our copies, they’ve resorted to cheap blackmail. The content of the petition clearly speaks to how Boko Haram could be defeated, and states why they haven’t been defeated.”

Speaking further, Sowore said: “The petition indicted senior military officers including stating how a GOC was diverting money and food, and also building a mansion in Kaduna. But instead of investigating and acting on the content of the petition, the military hierarchy is engaging in subterfuge and deflecting public attention from the real issues.”

“We join the long line of conscientious watchdogs branded by the Nigerian authorities for saying and reporting the truth. The Nigerian Army needs to return to being a serious and respectable fighting force in Africa not an organization of generals whose only skills are limited to deploying troops to fight dirty on Twitter.”