Recent claims circulating on social media, suggesting that Mr. Jackson Ude, a former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, had been declared wanted by the Nigerian Army, have been proven to be false, according to investigations.
The rumors, accompanied by flyers featuring Ude’s mugshot, alleged that the Nigerian Army had issued a “wanted” notice for Ude. However, both the Defence Ministry and the Nigerian Army have refuted these claims.
Ude, a U.S.-based journalist, addressed the matter via his verified Twitter handle (now X). In a post titled “Defence Minister Badaru Says He is Not Aware Army Declared Me Wanted,” Ude stated that Defence Minister Mohammed Badaru Abubakar denied any knowledge of such an action by the Army. Ude’s post read in part:
“Defence Minister, Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, has told me he is not aware I have been declared wanted by the Nigerian Army or any other armed forces in Nigeria.”
A source within the Army’s Media Directorate, when contacted to verify the authenticity of the flyers, dismissed them as fake. The source, who requested anonymity, stated succinctly, “Fake. Not from Army.”
A Major within Defence Headquarters also rejected the flyers, stating that such declarations would follow standard procedures initiated from the Defence Headquarters, not directly from the Army.
The controversy surrounding Ude stems from a recent social media post in which he was said to have falsely reported the death of the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Taoreed Abiodun Lagbaja. The Nigerian Army swiftly debunked the claim through its Director of Army Public Relations, Major General Onyema Nwachukwu, confirming that the Army Chief is alive and well.
Following Ude’s report, the fake flyers began circulating online, further fueling the rumor that Ude had been declared wanted. However, senior military sources reiterated that the Army is committed to upholding the rule of law and denounced Ude’s spread of misinformation, warning that such unfounded claims can lead to public unrest.
Despite efforts to reach Ude for additional comments, he was unavailable. A source close to him, however, noted that this was not the first time Ude had been the target of such spurious allegations. Last month, a similar attempt was made to falsely associate him with terrorism sponsors, a claim that was also later debunked.
The Army continues to encourage the public to verify news from credible sources to avoid the spread of misinformation.