FORMER Economic Financial Crimes Commission Chairman (EFCC), Nuhu Ribadu has denied association with the rumour identifying President Muhammadu Buhari as one behind the emergence of banditry in the country, leading to the unpopularity of the ex-President Goodluck Jonathan ahead of 2015 general election.

In a disclaimer dated February 6, 2020, Ribadu described such a report as false and should be ignored.

“Around mid-last year, a  brainless message purportedly emanating from me started circulating. The statement shared around social media platforms attributed to me devilish insinuations on alleged origin of banditry in parts of Nigeria.

“I initially ignored what was clear inanity and cheap blackmail as I thought no right-thinking person will fall for such mischief. However, when it persisted, on July 17, 2019, I issued a disclaimer on my Twitter handle to disown the viral message,” Ribadu said.

The report with the headline, “Bandit (sic) were created by Gen Mohammadu Buhari rtd to oust Jonathan – Bandits are not Boko Haram nor Herdsmen”, alleged that Buhari and Miyatti Allah were behind the security challenges that dogged the later years of Jonathan administration.

Other prominent persons listed in the report as Miyatti Allah collaborators are governor Nasir El -Rufai and former minister of interior, General Abdulrahman Dambazu(rtd.).

Debunking the report Ribadu said, “ I never wrote or said those words being attributed to me. I have no knowledge of the details contained in the disjointed propaganda message in circulation and I urge the public to disregard it.”

But over six months after the initial rebuttal, the “hateful message” re-surfaced in several online media.

Ribadu has demanded that such information should be investigated to ascertain the genesis of the fake message and fish out the perpetrators, noting that purveyors of such reports are a threat to national security.