Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed, the Kebbi State Commissioner for Information and Culture, has officially refuted claims regarding the existence of an insurgency group known as Sai Malam. During a visit to the Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Malam Ali M. Ali, in Abuja, Ahmed labeled these allegations as deliberate misinformation intended to destabilize the political landscape ahead of the 2027 elections.
According to the Commissioner, state security investigations—including those by the police and the Department of State Services—revealed that the individuals in question are actually cybercriminals, locally known as Yan-Vocal, who use internet schemes to target wealthy individuals and officials. He emphasized that these criminal activities are being intentionally mischaracterized as terrorism for political leverage.
Ahmed also addressed a widely circulated media report claiming that 130 children die daily in the state due to high mortality rates. He dismissed this statistic as a fabrication, noting that UNICEF had denied releasing such figures. He argued that the math provided in these reports is impossible given the state’s demographics. The administration believes these fabrications are part of a broader strategy by opposition elements to discredit Governor Nasir Idris.
In response, the NAN Managing Director, Malam Ali M. Ali, highlighted the risks posed by the spread of fake news and AI-generated disinformation. He pledged that NAN would support the state government in verifying and disseminating accurate reports to ensure the public receives factual information regarding the administration’s infrastructure and policy achievements.
