A group, South-South Professional & Transparency Initiatives (SSPTI), has raised the alarm over the grand design by some selected foreign media working with INTERPOL to tag Nigeria as most notorious globally in crime records, especially cybercrimes and other social vices.
The group called on the Federal Government especially the ministries responsible for foreign affairs and diplomatic relations to correct this wrong impression imaginary created to ridicule the country within the comity of nations.
Speaking against the backdrop of a recent publication by a US Researcher, one Matthew La Lime, where a non-existing cult group, ‘The Black Axe Confraternity’, was tagged as the most criminally minded and violent organisation globally, the body described the allegations as denigrating,frivolous, bias and unfounded
Reacting to the report published on October 29, 2024, in a statement by Dr. Ugochukwu Alozie (Chairman) and Engr. Kayode Ayomide (Secretary), the body noted the report lacked merit as the researcher Matthew La Lime who uses the platform and website of Africa Center For Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC, to write his denigrating articles, failed to mention names of the cultists arrested within and abroad in connection to these crimes.
It called on the international bodies, especially Nigeria trade partners and intending investors to discountenance the report, as it was borne out of mischief by the Researcher to discredit the nation, as it had become evident that there was no iota of truth in the issues raised in the said publication.
The statement reads: “Our attention has been drawn to a publication dated October 29, 2024, authored by one Matthew La Lime, a US based Researcher that recently went viral and we wish to categorically state here that the said publication was a figment of the author’s imagination
“We are even more convinced based on the fact that the said publication lacked all the basic ingredients of an objective, truthful and balance report on the issues raised. And it now crystal clear that the Researcher conducted himself in a very unprofessional manner out of desperation to gain money and gain cheap fame for himself.
“First, there is the need to educate the writer that the group he pinned all these crimes to; The Black Axe Confraternity only existed in his imagination, as such had long ceased to exist and therefore could not have been responsible for all the crimes attributed to it by the Researcher who obviously based his findings on a bias and uninformed point of view.
“Secondly, the writer of the said article and his Co-sponsors must realized the fact that our nation prides as one of the best security agencies in the continent and beyond. The Nigeria Police Force remains one of the best in the world and they have lived up to expectations in combating crimes, mostly the cybercrimes.
“We are also taking aback that a reputable institution like; Africa Center For Strategic Studies, National Defense University, Washington DC, would allow such an untrained Researcher like; Matthew La Lime to publish such libelous, unverified and unprofessional article using its platform and website.
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“We reaffirm our commitment to uphold the integrity of our nation and therefore determined to resist any attempt by a foreign media and its collaborators to dent the reputation of our security agencies by painting a picture of a high violence and crimes in the country before the international community.
“We hereby wish to pass a vote of confidence on our various security agencies contrary to the wrong motions being created in the said publication
“Based on these, we call on the Nigerian government, especially the appropriate agencies in Foreign Policies and Diplomatic Relations to start the process of fishing those behind the sponsored negative write up by the author and all of them to face the international law for attempting to ridicule and disparage the nation.”
