Following Sahara Reporters’ Friday 5th of March 2021 fake report that the Nigerian Customs Head, Col. Hameed Ali (Rtd) collaborated with a Nigerian Businessman, Alhaji Nasiru Danu, to steal N51Bn from the Nigerian Customs Service, Alhaji Nasiru is currently set to initiate legal action against the online newspaper for defamation of character

Interesting as the story may sound, no facts were presented. All were the work of fiction. As has now been revealed, the contents of the story were fabricated.

In the same vein, similar online platforms regularly use fake news to go after top politicians and businessmen; blackmailing and extorting them, with no challenge from regulatory agencies, government or even legal processes. This dangerous trend should be checked as the damage caused by fake news can be irreversible.

Unfortunately for Sahara reporters, Nigerian businessman and philanthropist, Alhaji Nasiru Danu has decided to take the bull by the horns and has commenced legal proceedings against them.

After confirming allegations in the Sahara Reporters story were false, Lawyers acting for Alhaji Danu have written to Sahara Reporters, giving the online platform 7 days to

1. Retract the defamatory publication on all its distribution platforms
2. Tender an unreserved apology to Alhaji Nasiru Danu which shall be published in 3 National dailies for 7 consecutive days

Failure to comply might see Sahara Reporters facing a tough legal battle. This issue has sent shock waves around the media industry as Publishers and Editors have stepped up their news verification strategy, before publishing.

It is unclear how this will end, if an out of court settlement will be the resolution or whether it will be a fight to finish, but either way, the stage is set to begin to hold people accountable for their actions. An anonymous source from a fellow online platform told our reporter that it is the likes of Sowore and his team that give the industry a bad name. “They write to gain cheap publicity and financial relevance without a concern for the truth. We all criticize, it is part and parcel of journalism, but for it to be constructive, it has to be based on facts.”

Ahead of 2023 gubernatorial election in Oyo, the state former governor, Rashidi Ladoja’s political group and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP) have agreed to collapse their structures and join the state chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) to wrest power from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the governor, Seyi Makinde.

The members of the political party and groups have also been directed to partake in ongoing APC membership registration exercises across the 351 Wards of the 33 local governments across the state, to kick start the process of joining forces with the party.

Also, APC has assured ZLP and Ladoja political group members joining the party that they would be given equal rights, privileges and benefits accruing to existing members of APC in the state.

The agreement to collapse structures into APC was reached on Tuesday during a meeting held in Ibadan, the state capital, with all parties stressing that there was a need to unite in order to save the state from alleged economic collapse.

They argued that the economic imminent collapse would result from the insecurity, excessive borrowing and lack of visionary leadership on the part of the incumbent governor, Makinde.

The decision was contained in an eight-point communique read after the meeting and was jointly signed by Kola Olaniyan, Bimbo Adepoju, Sarafadeen Alli, Waheed Akanbi, Adeolu Adeleke, Kazeem Raji, A I M Olaniyan, Monisola Tegbe, Serifat Tanimowo, Kola Olabiyi and Wahab Oyelade.

They agreed and directed all ZLP members and Ladoja political group to henceforth terminate all Ward, Local Government or Exco meetings as well as immediately start attending APC meetings at their respective wards and councils.

The communique added: “The attention of all members is directed to the decision of the National Executive Committee of the APC which granted waivers to all new members or those desirous of joining APC.

“By the said APC NEC resolution of 8th December, 2020 all members whether new or existing shall immediately be entitled and qualified to contest for party and elective positions within APC without the need for a qualification period.

“The meeting passed a vote of confidence in our reverred leader High Chief Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja and other leaders and the executive steering the affairs of the ZLP, Ladoja Political Group and Ladoja loyalists and henceforth, the APC and ZLP media teams should adopt a common criticism agenda”.