Unwarranted assault: Rebuttal to Sahara Reporters’ insensitive article on IGP Egbetokun’s health
By Chukwuma Ohaka
In an era where responsible journalism is essential to national development and public accountability, it is disheartening to witness the degeneration of press freedom into a tool for character assassination and sensationalism. The recent article by Sahara Reporters targeting the health of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, is not only unethical but an egregious violation of the fundamental principles of decency and journalistic integrity.
Rather than focusing on the substantive matters of national security, institutional reforms or policy direction within the Nigeria Police Force, Sahara Reporters has chosen to prey on private health matters — matters which should never be weaponized for clickbait or political innuendo. The tone of the publication was neither investigative nor factual; it was speculative, invasive, and laced with innuendos aimed at creating public distrust and ridicule.
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It is important to state unequivocally: health is not a scandal. It is an aspect of human existence that binds us all, regardless of status, office, or power. Public service should not come with the loss of one’s right to privacy and dignity — especially on health matters. To use a public officer’s moment of vulnerability as a subject of media ridicule is morally reprehensible and a dangerous precedent in public discourse.
Let it be known that the Inspector General of Police has continued to discharge his responsibilities with unwavering commitment and resilience. His leadership has been pivotal in stabilizing critical areas of insecurity and professionalizing the police service. To attempt to distract from these achievements with innuendo and conjecture is not journalism — it is sabotage.
The Nigerian media must be better than this. It must rise above the temptation to publish for traffic and instead publish for truth. We must collectively reject this brand of journalism that thrives on privacy violations, half-truths, and baseless sensationalism. The role of the press is to inform, not to deform; to scrutinize, not to scandalize.
We urge Sahara Reporters and all similar platforms to return to the ethics of their profession — fairness, accuracy, objectivity, and humanity. In attacking the person of the IGP over a health condition, they do not only target a man, they undermine the institution he leads and the morale of those he commands.
In defending our institutions, we are not suppressing criticism; we are demanding that it be done with respect, facts, and integrity. Leadership in Nigeria must not become a sacrificial altar for reckless media sensationalism. Enough is enough.
