The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has paraded a social media blogger, Nura Yerima, for circulating false information against one of its personnel, Idris Saidu.
Yerima, in the social media post, had alleged that Saidu was involved in selling riffles to bandits in the North. This act he said explains why the scourge of banditry in the region was not abating.
Following the allegation, the NSCDC had earlier arrested the blogger and later paraded him at its Niger State Command headquarters, where the personnel stated that the post painted the Corps in bad light and presented it as an organisation aiding and abetting banditry in the country.
The State NSCDC Commandant, Adamu Kambra, who addressed newsmen on Wednesday, said the incident happened in 2015. He disclosed that the Corps had to arrest Yerima after a competent court of law had exonerated Saidu and warned Yerima to desist from circulating such false information
According to Kambra, “The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps NSCDC, Niger State Command has arrested Nura Yerima for circulating false allegation on social media against NSCDC personnel SC Idirs Saidu. These allegations claimed his involvement in supplying riffles to bandits, but a competent court, (High Court of Justice), Niger State of Nigeria suit No.MN/ATB/CR/60/14, dated July 8, 2015 has exonerated the officer.
“As stated in our September 17, 2024 press statement, our personnel apprehended the suspect on October 11, 2024, reaffirming our commitment to protecting the Corps’ integrity. Investigation is going on,” the Commandant added.
Fielding questions from reporters, Kambra clarified, “This incident happened in 2015 almost a decade now, and the court of law has exonerated our officer from the false allegation, so the matter went off.
“But unfortunately, the same person continued to report such allegation that has been taken care of by the courts, that is why our organisation said we will not accept it. We had to swing into action to make sure we apprehended that person.
“Since the law had actually exonerated our officer of any involvement in gun running and he went on parading us on social media, the law will take its own cause and make sure he is brought to book,” the NSCDC boss stressed.
Yerima, who also fielded questions from newsmen, said he regretted his actions and pleaded for forgiveness from the NSCDC, saying the post was not original to him.
He disclosed that he downloaded the video from another person’s account and was willing to lead the NSCDC to the original source of the video.
“I am sorry. I regret my actions. I did not originate the video. I downloaded it from another person’s account and have since deleted it from my account. I just hope the NSCDC will forgive me,” he pleaded.
