Rivers Crisis: Group Reacts Over $5,000 'Sallah Gift' Allegation Against Nigerian Lawmaker Batera

• The group refuted claims that Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara distributed $5,000 to lawmakers for Sallah, calling it a smear campaign
• The group demanded an immediate retraction and apology, criticizing the report as "unprofessional journalism" and urging media responsibility
• The North East Star warned that failure to withdraw the false claims could lead to legal consequences against those spreading misinformation

Maiduguri, Borno state - The North East Star has strongly refuted claims that Rt. Hon. Mukhtar Aliyu Betara, Chairman of the House Committee on the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), distributed $5,000 cash gifts to lawmakers for Sallah celebrations.

The group described the allegations as a desperate attempt to tarnish Betara’s reputation.

In a statement cited by Legit.ng issued on Monday, March 25, in Maiduguri, Borno state, the Executive Director of the group, Mallam Ibrahim Goni, dismissed the reports as outright falsehoods.

"A Complete Fabrication"

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Goni stated that at no point did Hon. Betara make any statement to journalists regarding such cash distributions.

"Let it be clear: At no point did Hon. Betara tell any journalist that lawmakers received $5,000 for Sallah. This is a complete fabrication, designed to mislead the public and create unnecessary controversy," Goni declared.

He further accused certain individuals of deliberately spreading misinformation to create tension between Betara and the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas.

"We know the agenda at play here—there are forces unhappy with Betara’s good working relationship with the Speaker and his colleagues. They are now resorting to cheap blackmail to tarnish his image. But Nigerians are not fools; they can see through this poorly scripted lie," he added.

Calls for Retraction and Apology

The North East Star condemned what it described as "unprofessional journalism" and demanded an immediate retraction of the report.

"We challenge anyone peddling this fake story to produce verifiable evidence. If not, they should retract it immediately and tender an apology. Hon. Betara is a respected lawmaker with a track record of integrity. No amount of lies will change that," Goni insisted.

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The group also called on media houses to exercise greater responsibility in verifying information before publishing baseless accusations.

"Journalism is about facts, not fiction. Spreading outright lies to serve political interests is disgraceful and should have no place in the media," Goni admonished.

Legal action looms

The North East Star warned that failure to withdraw the false report could attract serious consequences, including legal action.

"We will not stand by and allow misinformation to go unchecked. If those responsible for this falsehood fail to retract their statements, legal steps will be taken to ensure accountability," the statement concluded.

Rivers crisis: Akpabio denies $15,000 bribe allegation

Earlier, Godswill Akpabio, the president of the Senate, has denied the report that he bribed fellow senators $15,000 each to vote in support of President Tinubu's proclamation of the state of emergency in Rivers.

The Senate president said the rumour was part of the hate campaigns meant to tarnish his personality.

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Akpabio explained that the rumour on the social media space that he facilitated the disbursement of the bribery at his residence in Maitama during the breaking of Ramadan fasting with senators was false.

Source: Legit.ng