The National Security Adviser (NSA), Malam Nuhu Ribadu has written a politician and leader of Northern Star, Hajia Naja’atu Muhammad, demanding public apology and retraction over an alleged malicious statement in a TikTok video shared across all social media platforms.
In the TikTok video, Hajia Naja’atu allegedly accused the NSA of serving in President Bola Tinubu’s government, whom he castigated when he was the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
In a letter, through his lawyer, Dr Ahmed Raji, SAN, the NSA said he has never maintained such viewpoint either publicly or in the private.
Ribadu said the damage that had been done as a result of the TikTok video was unquantifiable.
The letter dated February 4, 2025 and signed by Dr. Raji, reads, “Clearly, in the text of your recording (reproduced and translated above), you stated that when our client served as the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), he allegedly named President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, alongside Sen. George Akume and Sen. Orji Uzor Kalu (all former Governors, and in that order) as the governors in Nigeria who stole the most from public treasury.
“You also stated that today, our client who once held the above odious view about President Tinubu has turned around to be his staunchest defender; especially, with regard to what you stated to be the government’s agenda to silence voices of dissent to the government, citing the alleged arrest of a certain Prof. Usman Yusuf as an example.
“You also stated that our client’s alleged attitudinal change towards President Tinubu means that he has either become a liar or that he lied when he allegedly described President Tinubu, Sen. Akume, Sen. Kalu and other governors as thieves.
“Privately or publicly, our client has never expressed the above viewpoint about President Tinubu and/or Senators George Akume and Orji Uzor Kalu, which you attributed to him.
“In fact, our client has never held such a viewpoint about the President; hence, it came as a complete surprise to him when his attention was drawn to the aforesaid publication by you against him.”
Ribadu in the letter challenged Hajia Naja’atu to provide evidence of her allegations which have cast him as double-faced, duplicitous and deceitful in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society.
“Although masked as a clarion call to the North to rise up to your perceived injustice against the North by the government of the day, your publication is also inciteful of violence towards our client.”
The NSA said considering the far-reaching ramification of the publication, he will not sit back and “watch his hard-earned reputation and goodwill to be destroyed by your malicious decision to not only lay false allegations against him, but also, to cause the same to be published for the world’s attention.
“Your intention to bring our client to public ridicule, opprobrium, scorn and shame etc., is laid bare when it is considered that you deliberately caused same to be published on social media, where it has since gone viral.
“Surely, the damage occasioned to our client by your deliberate but ill-advised action is unquantifiable.
“However, our client will be assuaged if you retract the said publication and tender an unreserved public apology to him in at least 5 (five) national daily newspapers within 7 (seven) days of receipt of this letter.”
Failure to comply with these demands, Ribadu’s lawyer stressed, “We have our client’s further instructions to seek redress against you in a court of law where exemplary damages will be claimed against you. Kindly be advised.”
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