It is not a coincidence that sahara reporters have come out to declare that the President of the Senate Dr Bukola Saraki is the kingpin and mastermind of cultist activities in Ilorin. It is its normal style to cause disaffection and distraction ahead of any date that his matter would be discussed. That was the style when Justice Abdul Kafarati was to make a pronouncement on his matter that was before him. Rather than deliver judgement, the Judge was blackmailed and instead of delivering justice, he declined which is in contradiction to the tenet of the legal profession whose standpoint is to maintain equity , fairness and justice.
Sahara reporters has this time released a piece not only to allege that Dr Bukola was linked with some cultists that were hacked down by their fellow rivals. It is not only false, mischievous but malicious and deliberate defamation designed to run down the Turaki of Ilorin at all cost.
The report laced with outright falsehood and make-believe claims which in actual facts were the imagination of the author weaved to justify the fallacy put together as reports. It lacks coherence and accuracy of a truthful and responsible reporting.
The height of political thuggery in Kwara politics is well known by all and Sundry and is no longer News that GBOSA BOYS as they were then called were the machinery of political intimidation and harassment put in place, sponsored and funded by the then State government under a former civilian governor.
It is a fact that the Saraki Dynasty abhor violence and criminality in all its ramification. Needless to wonder that on assumption of office as the State Chief Executive one of the priority programme of Bukola Saraki administration in 2003 was the introduction of amnesty for the then Gbosa Boys who had virtually taken over the state before he assumed office.
The War against Cultism was fought and won with the support of the the Commissioner of Police CP Mohammed Abubakar who personally coordinated it with some gallant officer Including OGIDAN who laid down his life as he fought and flushed the Cultists out of town before he was later Murdered while CP Muhammed Diko Abubakar was to become the Inspector General of Police.
The scheme which was followed with empowerment of unemployed or under employed youths, men and women, young and old in various trade and commerce. It became the sign post for every political office holder to embark on one form of empowerment programme or the other.
The amnesty programme was to become the Federal Government policy after it was adopted by Umar Musa Yar’Adua led administration was not only used to disarm these political thugs but empower Nigerians generally to enable them become economically independent and responsible citizens. The records are available as peace prevailed in the state.
While we would not dwell into discussing the dead as was done by the ill informed Sahara Reporters. All those mentioned and identified as cultist and political thugs were all products of a government past and the facts of it are in the public domain.
On rituals, the police have arrested so many people and none of them has ever linked him with it. It is however regrettable that Sahara Reporters platform which should be a marketable place of ideas, robust opinion, intellectual discussions and views, truthful information, unbiased reports and credible opinionated reports has become a medium of blackmail, pull him down and destroy-him- at- all -cost and a medium for political vendetta under the guise of journalism practice.
The medium has thrown into the wind the ethics of the noble profession which was the pride of members of the fourth estate of the realm. Sahara reporters has replaced it with junk practice where anything goes. As long as their target refuses to compromise his or her integrity such individual must be destroyed that is now Sahara Reporters code of conduct.
It’s on record that Bukola Saraki administration between 2003/2011 flushed out cultism in all institutions in Kwara State a feat that was unprecedented not only in the North Central State but the nation as a whole. This development attracted an EDITORIAL from the flagship of Nigeria Media, THE GUARDIAN NEWSPAPER. Sahara Reporters should go to Guardian archives if in doubt.
In addition, a bill that forbade any form of secret society was passed and signed into law in 2005 with appropriate punishment for the cultist, collaborator and even landlords that may be found aiding and abetting in the promotion of cultism in various student hostels across the State, by providing them accommodation.
Sahara Reporters should for once be credible and responsible in discharging their responsibility as a Member of the FORTH ESTATE OF THE REALM by using the platform to inform, educate and entertain without compromising the ethics as put in place by the founding father of journalism profession.
Signed.
Abdul Jeleel Buko.
Kwara Vanguard