The Integrity Youth Alliance (IYA) has strongly condemned a recent publication by SaharaReporters alleging that former Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, was involved in efforts to secure the arrest of activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore, describing the report as false, malicious, and an attempt to distract public attention from ongoing judicial proceedings.
In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Kelvin Adegbenga, on Monday, the group accused SaharaReporters of engaging in what it described as a sustained campaign of misinformation and character assassination against the former IGP.
The statement was reacting to a SaharaReporters report titled, “Illegal’ Ex-IGP Egbetokun Lobbies DSS DG, Police To Ensure Sowore’s Arrest At Monday Court Appearance – Sources.”
According to the alliance, the allegations contained in the report were entirely unfounded and lacked any verifiable evidence.
“It is unfortunate that SaharaReporters and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore, continue to drag the name of former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, into fabricated stories designed to mislead the public and generate sympathy for an individual facing serious legal challenges,” the statement said.
The group specifically rejected claims that Egbetokun had allegedly reached out to the current Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun’s successor, Tunji Disu, judicial officers, or security agencies to influence the arrest of Sowore.
Describing the allegations as “fiction packaged as journalism,” the alliance maintained that the retired police chief was focused on his post-service engagements and had no involvement in matters already before a court of competent jurisdiction.
The group also criticized SaharaReporters’ reliance on anonymous sources, arguing that the practice had weakened the platform’s credibility.
“It is equally laughable that SaharaReporters continues to rely on anonymous and unverifiable sources to push narratives that cannot be substantiated. Such claims exist only in the imagination of the publisher,” the statement added.
The alliance challenged SaharaReporters and Sowore to provide concrete evidence to support claims that Egbetokun contacted senior officers of the Nigeria Police Force or the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) regarding Sowore’s prosecution.
“If any such evidence exists, it should be presented to the Nigerian public. Otherwise, the publication should be regarded as another desperate fabrication,” Adegbenga stated.
The group further dismissed allegations that the former police chief remained displeased over the collapse of a previous criminal case against Sowore or that he was linked to any contempt proceedings involving other individuals.
According to the alliance, such claims were defamatory, baseless, and intended solely to attract public attention.
The statement also faulted an alleged claim that Egbetokun advised President Bola Tinubu to ensure Sowore’s imprisonment as a means of preventing him from contesting the 2027 presidential election, describing the allegation as “absurd” and “insulting to the intelligence of Nigerians.”
The alliance noted that the decision to revoke Sowore’s bail and issue a bench warrant against him was made by the court following his failure to appear for a scheduled hearing on June 16, 2026, and not by any former public official.
It therefore urged Nigerians to disregard the SaharaReporters publication and similar reports aimed at tarnishing Egbetokun’s reputation.
“The facts remain clear. The matter involving Omoyele Sowore is before the court, and all parties should allow the judicial process to take its course without resorting to media theatrics or conspiracy theories,” the statement concluded.
The controversy comes amid ongoing legal proceedings involving Sowore over cybercrime-related charges instituted by the Department of State Services (DSS). The case remains before the court.