A civil rights activist and public attorney, Ugochukwu Osuagwu has threatened to drag an online publisher, Premium Times before a court of law over false reports emanating from its website targeted and diminishing the image and institution of the Nigerian Army.
Osuagwu said in its publication of December 12, 2016, Premium Times had alleged that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen TY Buratai is to appear before the Code of Conduct Bereau (CCB) over false asset declaration.
But the legal practitioner according to a press release made available yesterday to our correspondent, declared the report as false. He described as "disgusting how low some people are ready to fall just to distract the Army from its war on Boko Haram"
According to him, the story which failed to take into cognizance an earlier clearance given by the CCB which saluted General Buratai and many other Nigerians who had followed the due process of law smacks of mischief, malicious intent and deliberate attempt to twist the truth in other to destroy the reputation of the Chief of Army Staff and the institution which he represents.
He said he has decided to take this upon himself to protect members of this profession who cannot for national security fight us back when we do wrongs to them to set the record straight for posterity
He said after reading the Premium Times story, he made personal efforts to verify the claims by the online medium from the CCB.
He said, "I have reached out to the CCB and they have denied sending any such reply letter to CSNAC or PREMIUMTIMES. The CCB categorically said the publication is false and any such letter being paraded must be a forgery."
Osuagwu said he remains a firm believer in the freedom of expression as encapsulated in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other international protocols which Nigeria is a signatory to for the flourishing of democracy but would not succumb to abuse of Article 19(3)a of the same convention by some publishers who go out to promote their selfish objectives at the detriment of the overall good of society, reputation of others, national security and public order," he also added.