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๐Ÿ‡ณ๐Ÿ‡ฌ Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Cross River State denies paying cults for peace

From The Punch · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Cross River State government denies allegations of paying cults to maintain peace, calling the reports false.
  • The Commissioner for Information challenged accusers to provide evidence, including the identity of alleged recipients and proof of their links to the government.
  • The government stressed its commitment to providing accurate information and urged the public to distinguish between verifiable facts and rumors regarding public funds and security.

The Cross River State government has firmly denied reports that it is paying cults to maintain peace within the state, asserting that such claims are baseless.

Ekpenyong Cobham, the Commissioner for Information, reiterated the government's stance, challenging those making the allegations to come forward with concrete evidence. "I would like you to bring the basis showing that the government paid this person, and the identity of that person, which you will have to prove is a cultist," Cobham stated, emphasizing that his role is to deal with facts, not non-existent situations.

I canโ€™t speak into what does not exist. I would like you to bring the basis showing that the government paid this person, and the identity of that person, which you will have to prove is a cultist.

โ€” Ekpenyong CobhamThe Commissioner for Information of Cross River State challenged accusers to provide evidence for claims that the government pays cults.

Cobham dismissed the allegations as unsubstantiated rumors and urged the public to differentiate between verifiable information and hearsay, particularly concerning public expenditure and security matters. He stressed that any claims involving government funds must be supported by evidence detailing the source of payment, the recipient, and the purpose of the funds.

The Commissioner reaffirmed the state government's dedication to transparency, promising to make quality and accurate information available regarding its policies and programs to combat misinformation. He encouraged individuals with any evidence of alleged payments to present it to the appropriate authorities.

Allegations involving government funds should be supported with evidence showing the source of the payment, the recipient and the purpose for which the funds were released.

โ€” Ekpenyong CobhamThe Commissioner emphasized the need for evidence when making claims about government funds.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.