Zamfara State Government has threatened to institute a court action against Sahara Reporters over its libelous report against the state government and the personality of the Governor of Zamfara State Bello Muhammad Matawalle.
The online news platform had reported that Governor Matawalle had given 15 Hilux vehicles and millions of naira to repentant bandits in Zamfara State, adding that same vehicles are being used for kidnapping.
Zamfara State Commissioner for Justice Barr. Nura Ibrahim Zarumi who issued the threat letter to the editor of Sahara Reporters on Tuesday evening in Gusau.
“Take Notice that within (7) days of receipt of this letter, you are to publish retraction and apology on your online publication and in two other national dailies,” the letter read in part.
Zarumi further said, “you are to also enter in to negotiation for damage with the state government”.
The Commissioner further said “it amounts to a suspicious gamble if you treat this letter with levity but if you decide to do the gamble is clearly yours.”
“It is our mandate to intimate you of this grievous breach on the image and hard-earned reputation of the state with patent collateral damage on its people”
Barr. Zarumi further told Sahara Reporters “The state is alive to it’s right both law and equity, but it disposed to afford you an opportunity to undo the evil you have already done by retracting the same unwholesome remarks on the same platform it was published and apologize in two other national dailies”.
He said “the whole scenario becomes bewildering after reading your publication and the description of the state is totally out of place and libelous”.
“Having regard to your previous publications against the state government our state has come to the conclusion that your publication is both malicious and libelous,” Zarumi added.
The Commissioner insisted that the state government will swing to action if Sahara Reporters refuse to act according to the instructions of the state on this very important issue.
