Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff, former Borno Governor, on Saturday categorically denied a viral publication claiming he accused Vice-President Kashim Shettima of creating Boko Haram, describing the report as a politically motivated fabrication intended to stoke division in the North-East.
Sheriff, who once governed the state during the Boko Haram conflict and has repeatedly been linked to debates over the insurgency’s early origins, said the story was entirely false and should be ignored by the public.
The former governor made the denial through on Saturday through a statement issued by his media office in Abuja titled “A Lie Taken Too Far: Shettima, Ali Modu Sheriff Not On War Path.”
His clarification comes amid renewed national attention on the conflict, following recent statements from key military and political figures on the damaging effects of misinformation during the insurgency years.
The statement read, “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 described the report as a dangerous piece of fake news aimed at undermining his years of contributions to peace and development in Borno.
“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,” the statement added.
