SAHARA REPORTERS MISSES THE MARK AGAIN: UNTANGLING THE IGP, CHINEDU OGAH, AND TGE SO CALLED AWARD SAGA' BY KEHINDE ADEWOLE

Once again, Sahara Reporters has demonstrated its unrestrained appetite for sensationalism over truth.

Its recent publication titled Disquiet As IGP Egbetokun Presents Award Of Best Customer To Power-Drunk Federal Lawmaker, Chinedu Ogah is yet another unfortunate example of the platform’s descent into fiction packaged as journalism.

For anyone familiar with the operations of the Nigeria Police Force, it is common knowledge that every official visitor to the Office of the Inspector-General of Police receives a standard welcome plaque, a simple ceremonial gesture acknowledging the courtesy visit.

This is neither an award nor a special recognition; it is a routine, longstanding tradition.

From governors to diplomats, community leaders to civil society groups, the same courtesy is extended.

To twist such a benign protocol into an award of best customer is not only mischievous but also exposes poor editorial judgment.

Sahara Reporters owes the Nigerian public more seriousness than this.

Even more troubling is Sahara Reporters’ reliance on an unnamed “eyewitness,” clearly someone who understands the platform’s weakness for inflammatory fabrications.

The publication boldly asserts that Hon. Chinedu Ogah is a frequent abuser of police services—harassing, oppressing, arresting, or imprisoning anyone who opposes him.

Where is a single credible petition, a police report, a court document, or even a community account backing such claims?

Hon. Chinedu Ogah has no record, formal or informal, indicating abuse of police authority.

But Sahara Reporters, in its typical style, elevates rumour above fact, hearsay above evidence, and innuendo above responsible journalism.

To clear the false information posted by Sahara Reporters, this picture was taken on September 19, 2024, when Hon. Chinedu Ogah led a team of the House of Representatives Committee on Reformatory Institutions to the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, in his office.

The visit, among other reasons, was to discuss strategies for the decongestion of the prisons and enhance the administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.

Given that inmates undergo prosecution by the police, the meeting sought to foster collaboration between the legislature and the police in tackling the challenges faced by the Nigerian correctional system and promoting a more efficient, fair, and transparent judicial process for all.

If Sahara Reporters is so confident in its story, then let it publish the exact content of the plaque allegedly given to the lawmaker. This is a simple challenge.

Let Nigerians see the wording. Let the truth be laid bare.

But they cannot, because the story was manufactured.

The plaque contains nothing beyond the standard Courtesy Visit inscription given to every visitor.

There was no Best Customer Award, a phrase that only exists in Sahara Reporters’ imagination.

At this point, one is compelled to ask: When will Sahara Reporters ever publish a balanced story?

The platform, once celebrated for bold investigative journalism, has drifted into reckless activism masquerading as news reporting. With each false, one-sided, or poorly sourced publication, Sahara Reporters continues to erode its own credibility and relevance.

A responsible news outlet verifies. Sahara Reporters amplifies rumours. A credible newsroom seeks balance. Sahara Reporters seeks outrage.

A professional journalist investigates. Sahara Reporters invents.

Conclusion

The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, did not present any Best Customer Award to Hon. Chinedu Ogah.

The lawmaker has no history of using the police to harass or oppress anyone.

And the so called eyewitness merely fed Sahara Reporters another sensational story to publish without scrutiny.

Nigerians deserve truth, not propaganda. Journalism demands integrity, not desperation.

Until Sahara Reporters learns this difference, its value will continue to diminish in the eyes of discerning readers who can clearly distinguish between news and noise.