| Ribadu & Gwarzo. |
The
National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu has expressed intention to take
legal action for defamation against Deputy Governor of Kano State, Comrade
Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo.
Gwarzo
mentioned that Ribadu supported Ado Bayero in coming back to Kano.
In
a formal correspondence, issued by his legal representatives at Aliyu &
Musa Chambers, Ribadu has requested an apology from the deputy governor.
“We
act as solicitors to Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who presently occupies the exalted
position of the National Security Adviser (“our client”) and on whose
instruction we write this letter.
“The
attention of our client was drawn to a video clip being shared on different
social media platforms wherein you granted an interview at Emir’s Palace in
Kano on Saturday, the 25th day of May 2024, in a very calm atmosphere, and
without any provocation whatsoever, falsely accusing our client of using his
office to kill the people of Kano State and maim their properties. In the clip,
you were shown to be saying in Hausa.
“Your
false accusations against our client portraying his office as an appendage of a
political party and a willing tool to cause chaos in Kano is false and done
with the intention of damaging the hard-earned reputation of our client in the
eyes of the right-thinking members of the society and indeed it has succeeded
in doing so.
“In
all the places he has served, our client has never been accused of any wrongdoing.
Given this illustrious background, it is inconceivable that someone would
harbour the thought that our client would descend his exalted office so low as
to interfere in the local tussle of the Kano Emirate.
“The
wide coverage you gave your interview has caused serious embarrassment to our
client and his family. Since the publication, our client has been receiving
barrage of telephone calls both within and outside Nigeria from friends and
associates who felt disappointed in him because of the false allegation owing
to the fact that it came from a person occupying the office of Deputy Governor
of Kano State. Our client and his office take your allegations seriously and by
this letter, our client is demanding that you provide irrefutable evidence to
substantiate your claims. If you have no proof, our client demands you to
within 24 hours:
“i.
retract the libellous allegation in a similar manner you made it as well as
give it wide media circulation; and
“ii.
issue a public apology in five National dailies with wide national coverage and
on popular online platforms. Note that if you fail to do so, our client will be
compelled to seek redress in a court of law.”