The Nigerian Army has issued a disclaimer distancing itself from a man arrested in Abuja who was reportedly described as a retired Army General in a story published by online news platform Sahara Reporters.
In a statement released Tuesday, the Army said the individual in question, one Haruna Garba Gololo, popularly known as Garus Gololo, “is neither a retired officer nor a General in the Nigerian Army,” contradicting the characterisation in a Sahara Reporters story headlined: “Retired Nigerian Army General Arrested in Abuja After Criticising Senate President Akpabio Over 2027 Comments.”
“The portrayal of the individual as a retired General of the Nigerian Army is false, misleading, and capable of creating wrong impressions in the minds of the public,” the Army said in the statement posted to its official X account, @HQNigerianArmy.
The Army used the disclaimer to call out what it described as a failure of journalistic due diligence, urging media organisations to “uphold the principles of accuracy, fairness, and responsible journalism in matters relating to the Armed Forces of Nigeria and national institutions.”
It further called on relevant media platforms to issue corrections, warning that the spread of such misinformation risks “undermining public trust and institutional integrity.”
Members of the public were urged to disregard the misleading attribution.
The Nigerian Army reaffirmed its commitment to “professionalism, transparency, and the defence of the territorial integrity of Nigeria” in line with its constitutional mandate.
