FALSE RUMORS REGARDING TO NATCOM AND OUR ACTING DIRECTOR GENERAL ADEGBENRO

 

PRESS RELEASE

Date: 28^th April 2024

 

FALSE RUMORS REGARDING TO NATCOM AND OUR ACTING DIRECTOR GENERAL ADEGBENRO

            It has come to the notice of the management of NATCOM and all stakeholders the defamatory report being peddled by some media organizations aimed at assassinating the character of our Ag. DG H.E Amb. Dr. Otunba Adejare Adegbenro and the legitimacy of our esteem organization. We reaffirm our organization’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct in discharge of our mandate.

2.        We clearly state that there have been no evidence of fraud involving the Ag. Director General or any personnel within the organization aside the case of the former Director General Baba Mohammed which necessitated his removal from office as the Director General in April 2023 by the Council of State Commandants of the Commission and that of Mr. Agaba Idu, Police Sgt Dalhatu Dauda Mamman and Alaji Joseph which are currently being investigated by the S-Squad Unit of the Police Force CID and the Department of State Security Services (DSS).

3.         NATCOM is committed to full adherence to legal and ethical standards in all her operations.

4.       Claims of job racketeering are entirely unfounded. Our recruitment processes are fair, merit-based, and comply with all relevant laws and regulations. We have extended our hand of partnership to the administration of His Excellency President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to recruit additional 7,000 personnel per each state of the Federation including the FCT upon the assent of NATCOM Bill by the president. This is to help the government curb insecurity while reducing the rate of unemployment in Nigeria.  We do not tolerate any form of illegal or unethical practices within our organization.

5.      Allegations of involvement in gun running activities are completely false and malicious. Our organization strictly adheres to legal requirements and ethical standards in all aspects of our operations, including security protocols. Such a malicious act shows how desperate and evil some people could be in jeopardizing genuine and national efforts geared towards promoting the well-being of Nigerians.

6.         We want to emphasize that our organization has consulted legal experts to address these baseless rumors. We are taking legal actions against any individuals, entities or media house spreading misinformation damaging to our reputation and that of our Ag. Director General. The Director General’s Statement:

“This development didn’t come to me as a surprise. Recently NATCOM has made significant progress on her blueprint on safeguarding Nigeria from the hands of arms cartel and pioneers of insecurity in Nigeria and deadly individuals who do not want me or NATCOM to succeed. Every good development comes with a price and I guess this ploy by oppositions is my price for taking NATCOM to places and for giving it a voice that is now heard globally. Character defamation is the least I have received in recent times. People have accused me, insulted me and some even issue me threats and all.  When you fight corruption, corruption fights you in the same spirit and even more. NATCOM as a donor Civil Security Intelligence Organization is committed to the rule of law in Nigeria and West Africa. NATCOM Stands on ECOWAS Mandate on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and the National Assembly Bill which was passed in the 9^th assembly and currently undergoing harmonization and review by all stakeholders and authorities in the government of the day. I urge all men and officers of NATCOM as well as foreign partners and civil society networks we work with to remain calm. Nothing good comes easy and I am fully committed to seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”

7.     We encourage media outlets and the public to verify information before spreading unverified rumors. Any enquiry should be forwarded to info@natcomwestafrica.org and we would do justice to it.

8.         In conclusion we reiterate NATCOM’s commitment to transparency, integrity, and ethical conduct. While we understand that the media can either make or mar a person or process, we thank the media who has uphold to the practice of fair and balanced broadcast.

 

God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

 

Sign: Management

28^th April 2024 2pm.