Ex-Gov Yari Threatens Legal Action Against Some Media Organisations

Former governor Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara has threatened legal action against some media organisations for publishing what he described as fake news against him.

Yari issued the threat in a statement on Thursday in Gusau by his spokesman, Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara.

This followed the search on Yari’s Talata-Mafara residence on Aug. 4 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that operatives of the EFCC stormed the former governor’s residence at his Talata-Mafara country home.

Dosara alleged in the statement that three media outfits (names withheld) were out to smear the image of his principal.

He said, for instance, that a report titled “Re: Exotic automobiles uncovered in former gov. Yari’s home’’ was untrue.

According to him, the concerned media outfits had captioned their reports in the following manner: “N2.35 billion IDPs fund was misappropriated by the former Gov.

“N3. 51 billion ecological funds was misappropriated by the former Gov.

“These are the allegations made against the former governor and credited to the EFCC.”

He, therefore, advised the media outfits to retract their reports within 24 hours or face legal action.

The spokesman, however, said that the Yari camp was waiting to see what the EFFC would do to the whistleblower, which caused the investigation.

Dosara said the investigation did not reveal anything incriminating against Yari.

He pointed out that the ex-governors house in Talata-Mafara had no space to accommodate the so-called 21 luxury cars.

“The allegation levelled against the former governor that he misappropriated the N51 billion given to him for ecological disasters/problems is not true.

“Let these newspapers go and verify their facts, as the ecological funds were distributed during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) administration of Dr Goodluck Jonathan and no All Progressives Congress (APC) governor was given a dime for the purpose.

“On the issue of the alleged IDPs N35 billion, the newspapers accused the former governor of, I challenge these newspapers to publish to the public, the name of persons or institutions that gave him such amount of money or indeed any penny for the IDPs.

“Otherwise, the former governor will take legal action,” he said.

NAN recalls that the EFCC’s investigation came on the heels of a transition committee report set up by Gov. Bello Matawalle.

The committee, headed by the former governor’s deputy, Malam Ibrahim Wakkala, questioned several financial transactions of the Yari-led administration. (NAN)