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The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has powerfully refuted a study by Newspoint Nigeria accusing its Chairman, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, of utilizing the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain a writer and engaging successful corrupt practices.
In a connection issued connected Tuesday, October 22, 2025, signed by Ahmad Muazu, Technical Assistant (Media) to the Chairman, NAHCON described the work titled “How NAHCON Chairman Used DSS To Detain News Point Nigeria’s Editor for Exposing Corruption, Pro-Shettima Reports” arsenic “reckless, defamatory, and wholly fabricated.”
“The Chairman/CEO, Professor Abdullahi Saleh Usman, did not astatine immoderate clip order, direct, oregon petition the apprehension of immoderate writer oregon media practitioner, whether done the Department of State Services (DSS) oregon immoderate different information agency,” the connection read.
Calling the work a “work of fabrication designed to malign the quality of the Chairman and undermine the integrity of the Commission,” NAHCON challenged Newspoint Nigeria to supply verifiable grounds of its claims.
The Commission besides dismissed allegations of corruption and governmental interference arsenic “baseless and recycled,” insisting that its existent enactment remains committed to transparency and owed process.
“The Commission has consistently cooperated with each regulatory and anti-corruption agencies done the due authorities channels,”
it added.
Addressing claims that Professor Usman had disrespected Vice President Kashim Shettima oregon reported him to President Bola Tinubu, NAHCON described the allegations arsenic “entirely fabricated and unethical.”
“Professor Usman maintains a nonrecreational and respectful narration with the Vice President’s bureau and each authorities institutions,”
the connection noted.
NAHCON further clarified that an idiosyncratic identified successful the Newspoint study arsenic a “Senior Journalist and erstwhile Managing Director of Radio Kano” is not affiliated with the Commission successful immoderate capacity.
“It is misleading to subordinate his alleged backstage actions oregon statements with NAHCON,”
the Commission stated, adding that inconsistencies successful the work exposed its deficiency of credibility.
While reiterating its respect for property freedom, NAHCON warned that it would not tolerate deliberate attempts to tarnish its representation oregon mislead the nationalist nether the guise of journalism.
“Deliberate efforts to mislead the nationalist nether the guise of property state volition not beryllium condoned,” the connection read, disclosing that the Commission intends to question redress done due media regulatory bodies.
Accusing Newspoint Nigeria of moving “a prolonged run of blackmail and falsehood”, NAHCON said the outlet had published akin unverified stories implicit the past twelvemonth without granting the Commission a close of reply, a determination it described arsenic a usurpation of the Nigerian Press Council Code of Ethics and planetary journalism standards.
“This obsessive pursuit intelligibly violates cardinal journalistic principles of accuracy, fairness, and impartiality,” the connection asserted.
The Commission urged the Nigerian public, particularly members of the Muslim Ummah, to disregard the Newspoint study and akin publications, reaffirming its committedness to its mandate.
“Our absorption remains connected serving Nigerian pilgrims, and we shall proceed to widen nonrecreational practice to each liable media organisations,” the statement concluded.
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