The Federal Government says it will punish all those behind the health and death rumours about President Muhammadu Buhari.
This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
“While opposition and criticism are all part of democracy, the crafting and circulation of subversive materials and scare-mongering are not, hence the full wrath of the law will be brought to bear on those who are bent on subverting the state.
‘’The source/sources of the fabricated messages are already being investigated and the authors should prepare to face the consequences of their actions.
‘’The emerging trend of resorting to destabilisation and scare-mongering is not unexpected, considering this government’s clampdown on the corrupt elements in the society, the plugging of all financial leaks which has derailed the gravy train of the looters of public treasury and the enthronement of probity and transparency in the polity.
“While we will neither stifle press freedom nor abridge the citizens’ right to express themselves freely, whether through criticism or protests, the security agencies will neither allow any resort to violence nor a willful subversion of the state for whatever reason.”
Mohammed described to reporters after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting that the rumour on the President’s health was “silly”.
He said, “I don’t want to lend my voice to a very silly thing. I will not join this debate. I think there are more serious issues of state to discuss than this issue.
“It’s only in this part of the world that you wake up in the morning and you say the president of the country is dead. I will not join that kind of debate at all.”
It will be recalled that on Saturday the presidency dismissed rumours that Buhari had died.
Dolapo is a writer and journalist who works with YNaija. He has interests in Christianity, politics and sports.
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