Former Borno State Governor, Senator Ali-Modu Sheriff, has dismissed as false and malicious a viral publication alleging that he accused Vice-President Kashim Shettima of creating the Boko Haram insurgency.
In a strongly worded statement issued through his media office in Abuja on Saturday, Sheriff described the report as a “politically motivated fabrication designed to sow division and mislead Nigerians.”
The statement, titled “A Lie Taken Too Far: Shettima, Ali Modu Sheriff Not On War Path,” clarified that the former governor never made such remarks nor granted any interview concerning the spurious claims circulating online.
> “The said story is a complete fabrication, devoid of truth, and a deliberate attempt to mislead the public and malign my person,” Sheriff said. “At no time did I engage any journalist or media platform on the matter.”
He described the report as a dangerous piece of fake news meant to undermine his longstanding contributions to peace and development in Borno State—the epicentre of the Boko Haram conflict.
Sheriff also warned that his legal team had been directed to identify and prosecute all individuals, bloggers, or media outlets responsible for spreading the defamatory publication.
> “If this false story is not immediately retracted and taken
down, I will seek full legal redress,” he stated. “I remain committed to truth, justice, and accountability.”
His clarification follows renewed national focus on the Boko Haram conflict after Brigadier General Sani Usman (retd.), former spokesman of the Nigerian Army, disclosed that the military had battled both insurgents and an “information war” during the height of the crisis.
Usman noted that at one point, “propaganda and disinformation became so intense that many Nigerians doubted whether to trust the military or Boko Haram.”
The Boko Haram insurgency, which drew global attention in 2014 following the Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction, has entered its fifteenth year, displacing over two million people across the Lake Chad Basin and claiming thousands of lives.
Sheriff’s statement also coincides with former US President Donald Trump’s controversial claim on his Truth Social platform that Christians in Nigeria are being systematically targeted—warning that the US might intervene if the killings persist.
As misinformation and political propaganda continue to swirl around Nigeria’s prolonged insurgency, Sheriff’s rebuttal serves as a reminder of the critical need for responsible journalism and fact-based reporting in preserving national unity and public trust.
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