The Arewa Think Tank (ATT) has dismissed online allegations against the Executive Chairman of the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS), Dr. Zacch Adedeji, over the Frontier Exploration Fund.
The group described the allegations as a calculated attempt by fifth columnists to tarnish the President’s reputation, undermine the revenue agency and discredit the current administration.
ATT’s Convener, Muhammad Alhaji Yakubu, said the allegations should be treated with caution, particularly following the categorical denial by Adedeji, who described the reports as sponsored fake news intended to damage his reputation and that of the institution he heads.
Yakubu said the controversy was another indication of what he called a deliberate campaign by individuals opposed to the reforms and achievements of the Tinubu administration.
He said: ‘We are concerned about the growing pattern of sponsored allegations and sensational reports targeted at officials who are playing critical roles in the ongoing reforms of the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu administration. The latest allegations against the NRS Chairman are unfortunate and should not be allowed to distract the government from its reform agenda.’
The Arewa Think Tank Convener said Adedeji had sufficiently explained his position on the matter and urged Nigerians to distinguish between legitimate scrutiny of public officials and what he called politically motivated attempts to destroy reputations.
The controversy followed an online report alleging that $279 million had been transferred from the Frontier Exploration Fund’s account to unnamed accounts, with the report claiming that Adedeji and the NRS were aware of the alleged movement of funds.
The report further alleged that the development had put the NRS Chairman under pressure, with some stakeholders purportedly calling for a forensic audit of the fund.
But in his response, Adedeji reportedly dismissed the allegations as false, describing them as an attempt by some people to tarnish his reputation and the NRS’s image.
‘That report is not true in any way. It is pure fake news sponsored by some jobless persons whose pastime is to throw mud at high performers in the President Tinubu government,’ Adedeji had said
He also questioned the credibility and professionalism of the reports, alleging that similar language and narratives were used across different online platforms.
‘I consider it to be a brand of cheap journalism lacking in ethics and professionalism but heavy with malicious intentions,’ he said.
Adedeji also alleged that the similarity in the language and storyline of reports published on different platforms suggested that they originated from the same source.
‘To prove to you that it was sponsored, take a critical look at the storyline and language. They are the same language and style in all the reports, meaning that one person wrote it and distributed across gullible online platforms,’ he said.
Reacting to the controversy, Yakubu said the explanation offered by the NRS Chairman over the purpose and operation of the Frontier Exploration Fund further demonstrated the need for Nigerians to seek facts before drawing conclusions from unverified online reports.
‘The issue of the Frontier Exploration Fund is technical and requires proper understanding. We should not allow sensational headlines or social media narratives to substitute for facts, particularly when dealing with public funds and government institutions,’ Yakubu stated.
The ATT convener explained that the Frontier Exploration Fund was established under Section 9 of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021, to finance petroleum exploration activities in frontier basins where commercially viable hydrocarbon reserves have not been fully established.
The relevant frontier basins, he said, include the Bida, Benue Trough, Anambra, Chad, Sokoto, and Dahomey Basins.
According to the explanation attributed to the NRS chairman, the fund is intended to support exploration activities, including geological mapping, seismic surveys, exploratory drilling, appraisal wells, basin studies and other exploration-related activities.
Yakubu said the technical nature of the fund made it even more important for stakeholders and members of the public to rely on verifiable information rather than allegations circulated through online platforms.
‘We must be careful not to turn every allegation on social media into a conviction. If there are genuine questions about public funds, the appropriate institutions should investigate them. But deliberately publishing allegations without establishing the facts is not in the interest of Nigeria,’ he said.
The Arewa Think Tank convener described Adedeji as one of the officials at the centre of the Tinubu administration’s economic and revenue reforms.
He noted that attempts to distract such officials could undermine the government’s broader reform objectives.
‘President Tinubu has embarked on difficult reforms, and the people driving these reforms will naturally come under intense scrutiny. That scrutiny is healthy when it is based on facts, but politically motivated attacks and fabricated stories are completely different,’ Yakubu said.
He urged the media and online publishers to uphold professional standards and give accused individuals and institutions an opportunity to respond to serious allegations before publication.
‘Freedom of expression and press freedom are fundamental, but they must go together with responsibility. Journalists and publishers should verify their information, especially when allegations concern integrity, public funds and the reputation of public officials,’ he said.
Yakubu warned what he called fifth columnists against exploiting social media to create confusion and undermine public confidence in government institutions.
‘Those working from within or outside the system to deliberately discredit the Tinubu administration through false narratives should know that Nigerians are watching. You cannot build a country by constantly destroying the reputation of its institutions and officials through unverified allegations,’ he said.
The ATT convener urged Nigerians to remain vigilant against what he called misinformation designed to create distrust between the government and citizens.
‘We are not saying that government officials should be above scrutiny. Far from it. What we are saying is that scrutiny must be factual, fair and evidence-based. Where there are allegations, let the appropriate authorities examine them. But nobody should be condemned based on a story whose claims have not been substantiated,’ Yakubu added.
The Arewa Think Tank urged the NRS leadership to remain focused on its mandate and continue supporting the Federal Government’s efforts to strengthen revenue mobilisation, transparency and economic development.
‘Our message to Zacch Adedeji is simple: remain focused and continue with the job. Those who are uncomfortable with reforms will continue to throw stones, but the best response is to remain committed to transparency, professionalism and service to Nigerians,’ Yakubu said.
He also urged the public to verify contentious claims through credible official channels rather than relying solely on social media reports.
‘Nigeria needs constructive criticism, not character assassination. We will continue to support accountability, but we will equally oppose attempts to use misinformation and malicious allegations to undermine competent public officials and derail national reforms,’ the Arewa Think Tank Convener added.