Uzoma Mba

Former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff, has described as false and malicious an online publication claiming that he accused Vice President Kashim Shettima of creating Boko Haram.

In a statement issued by his media office, he said the report titled “It’s Not Me, It’s Shettima Who Created Boko Haram – Sheriff Reveals”, was 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”.

According to the statement, 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.”

Describing the story as “mischievous” and “a dangerous piece of fake news aimed at undermining years of Senator Sheriff’s contributions to peace, national unity, and development, both in Borno State and across Nigeria,” the statement said the former governor “maintains his unwavering commitment to Nigeria’s security and stability.”

The statement continued: “He finds it deeply regrettable that unscrupulous individuals and platforms would resort to peddling falsehoods to score cheap political points or attract undue attention.

“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, the statement added, has directed his legal team to take immediate steps to identify those behind the “defamatory” publication.

“Should the false publication not be retracted and taken down forthwith, the Senator will not hesitate to seek full legal redress under the law,” the statement warned.

“He remains committed to upholding truth, justice, and accountability, and will rigorously pursue justice to ensure that such reckless misinformation does not go unpunished.”

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