The Kaduna state chapter of the Truth and Justice Defenders Forum has reacted to a media report questioning the handling of security in Kaduna state by Governor Uba Sani, saying it was a “paid job lacking in merit and professional depth.”
Sahara Reporters, an online news portal, in its publication of June 27 accused Governor Uba Sani of abandoning some parts of the state to the fate of criminals and blamed former Governor Nasir el-Rufai for still being in charge and for meddling in the affairs of the state by taking key decisions for the incumbent governor at the expense of the state.
The report also accused Governor Uba Sani of being insensitive to the security situation in the state by traveling for Hajj in Saudi Arabia.
In reaction, the Truth and Justice Defenders Forum described the report as warped, unprofessional, unfounded and sponsored by a “frustrated, disgraced politician” in the state.
The chairman of the Forum, Sabo Abbah Anas, in a strongly-worded statement, said they were quite aware of the identity of the main sponsor of such mischievous stories aimed at heightening tensions in the state.
“We shall not hesitate to name the discredited frustrated and dejected opposition Senator in the state who persists in such a desperate attempt to review and falsify the facts using some unscrupulous media to mislead and misinform the public,” he said.
Anas noted in the statement that without the need to give detractors more reasons to feel important, the Forum warned politicians, especially “the publicity-hungry blogger,” to desist from attempts to manipulate the truths about state security.
“We note especially that a section of the media has not been extremely careful in their reportage of the security situation in Kaduna State and end up fanning greater unrest.
“Notwithstanding this well-known bias of that section of the media, the state government never made it a habit of denouncing them at every occasion or at the slightest of breaches of decorum and etiquette.
“We were all along hoping that they would change to being more restrained in reporting on matters that affect the credibility of the electoral process and popular will of the people without resorting to partisan overkill.”
