Niger Delta Vanguard Against Fake News NDVAFN has condemned in the strongest of terms the rate of fake news and malicious publications, circulating in Nigeria, describing it as not only destabilizing the country but also giving us a bad name.
Mr.Ossai Edwin Pepple the NDVAFN spokesman observed that in recent years some politicians and blackmail merchants have developed a new weapon to fight their battles – fake newews!
According to him, “this tool has eaten into our society in an unimaginable level. It’s so bad that fake news travels faster and farther than the truth. This is not only a risk to the sovereignty of the country but also a threat to our international image.”
A statement signed by Ossai and sent out to the fourth estate of the realm explained that, “in recent months Pointblank News has been releasing unverified publications sponsored by individuals or crafted by the news platform; these unverified stories have caused a lot of damage to our international reputation. The most recent one which targeted the Coordinator of the Amnesty Programme, the Presidency and included the FBI and American Government, has met stiff opposition and a strong reaction from some of the parties involved. The publications titled “FBI INVESTIGATES BUHARI’S AIDE OVER $10.5MILLION WIRE FRAUD”, has received a hard response from one of the parties involved, an American University. This raises concerns of the possibility of the FBI delving into the matter and clamping down on individuals responsible for such falsehood.
“Just recently a similar publication was released against the Dan Amanar Dutse, Alhaji Nasiru Haladu Danu. Pointblank claimed that he was arrested in the United Kingdom with £200,000 cash and deported back to Nigeria, a publication that could threaten ties between both countries. This publication was confirmed to be far from the truth.
“This move by the Americans will hopefully put a check on individuals who trade on fake news and propaganda; as the nation tries to rebuild its long-lost glory amongst the community of nations.”
In a rebuttal captioned “Rejoinder: Re FBI Investigates Buhari’s Aide Over $10.5million Wire Fraud|, Professor Augustine Uwakwe the acting Vice Chancellor of Gregory University Uturu recently said, “our attention has been drawn to a malicious article credited to Pointblanknews with an equally libelous title ’FBI Investigates Buhari’s Aide Over $10.5million Wire Fraud, N1.7billion In Safe Keep At Gregory University’.
We therefore wish to state without equivocation that the insinuations of the said article are scandalous, ludicrous, baseless, unfounded and at best a figment of the warped imagination of the fictitious writer, intended to mislead the public while attempting to ridicule, lampoon and malign credible and reputable public figures and organizations. To set the records straight, we hereby state as follows;
“That Gregory University Uturu is a responsible and responsive stakeholder cum private sector key player in the education family, licensed by the federal government in 2012 to partner government in providing entrepreneurial enlightenment to the public and further recognized in 2017 as host institution for the Presidential Amnesty Programme (PAP).
“That since the commencement of the PAP in our school we have remained committed to the enshrined ideals of the exercise, as summarized in the desire to reorient, empower and reintegrate Niger Delta youths into the mainstream of the larger society.
“That all tuition fees for the PAP delegates posted to our school are made by the Amnesty Programme office via a dedicated university bank account, which for transparency purposes remain in full view of interested stakeholders.
“That to the best of our knowledge neither the university nor the Chancellor, Prof Gregory Ibe is under any form of investigation by FBI and therefore we hereby classify the publication as fake news.
“That we hereby demand immediate retraction of the said publication by the promoters of Pointblanknews within 48 hours of this release, failure of which our Lawyers will have no other option than to commence litigation processes against the publishers for libel.”
