Former Governor Ali Modu Sheriff of Borno State has denied reports claiming that he accused Vice-President Kashim Shettima of creating Boko Haram.
Sheriff made the rebuttal in a statement issued on Saturday titled, “A LIE TAKEN TOO FAR: SHETTIMA, ALI MODU SHERIFF ARE NOT ON WAR PATH.”
The former governor described the story as “false in its entirety” and urged members of the public to ignore it.
The statement read in part: “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 “mischievous and dangerous,” saying it was aimed at undermining his years of contributions to peace, national unity, and development in Borno State and Nigeria as a whole.
He reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s security and stability, expressing regret that some individuals and platforms would resort to spreading falsehoods for political gain or attention.
The statement further urged the public and the media to “disregard this concocted story in its entirety” and to desist from sharing or amplifying it.
Sheriff added that he had instructed his legal team to identify all individuals, bloggers, or media outlets responsible for disseminating the defamatory material.
He warned that if the false publication was not retracted and taken down immediately, he would seek full legal redress.
“Senator Sheriff 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 concluded.
