The Publisher of the Online Newspaper, Daily Nigerian newspaper, Jaafar
Jaafar, appeared before lawmakers at the Kano State House of Assembly
investigating the bribery allegation against Kano State Governor Abdullahi
Ganduje and insisted that the video is real.
Jaafar said the Videos showing the Kano Governor receiving kickbacks have
been verified to be authentic before they were published.
Although the state government has claimed the video was ‘cloned’ our
experts confirmed the authenticity.
Mr Jaafar also stood by the content of the videos when he appeared before
the lawmakers at a public hearing on Thursday.
Below is Jaafar’s statement to the Kano House
STATEMENT BY PUBLISHER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF OF DAILY NIGERIAN AT THE
INVESTIGATIVE HEARING OF KANO STATE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON GOV. ABDULLAHI
GANDUJE’S BRIBE-TAKING VIDEOS PUBLISHED BY THE ONLINE NEWSPAPER
I, Jaafar Jaafar, am a member of the Board of Directors of Penlight Media
Limited, the publishers of DAILY NIGERIAN do hereby submit this statement
in answer to the invitation extended to me by the Investigation Panel of
the Kano State House of Assembly.
Introduction
1. The DAILY NIGERIAN made a series of publications pertaining to the
receipt of several videos of His Excellency the Executive Governor of Kano
State, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje collecting of bribe/kickbacks from some
contractors in Kano State.
2. Consequent upon the publications, we received an invitation dated
October 18, 2018 with reference number KNHA/ADM/VOL .I/04 from the Kano
State House of Assembly requesting us to appear before it in the conduct
of its constitutional functions as contained in Section 129 of the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
3. The invitation letter also requested that we submit a written statement
containing the incidents pertaining to the investigation.
4. Below is the narration of our understanding of the events as it relates
to the videos.
The videos
5. More than two years ago, a contractor friend of mine complained to me
that the governor had been receiving kickbacks, ranging from 15 to 25
percent, for every project executed in the state from contractors.
6. We then agreed to plant spy cameras on his kaftan lapel so that he can
capture the brazen act in hard evidence. He captured at least 15 clips,
nine of which fully showed the governor’s face, body and hands collecting
bundles of dollars.
7. Before DAILY NIGERIAN publishes stories, pictures or videos on its
website (www.dailynigerian.com), the editors subject them to rigors of
verification to establish their authenticity or otherwise.
8. In the case the video clips in question, our in-house technical expert,
the editor-in-chief and editorial adviser certified that the videos were
original and not doctored contents.
9. Experts from Amnesty International Nigeria, BBC and PREMIUM TIMES also
watched the clips and certified their authenticity before we went to
press.
10. The first video was published on October 14, 2018 comprising two clips
that occurred on two different dates as shown on the videos themselves.
The video showed the governor receiving bribe from a contractor in foreign
currency specifically the monies were United States Dollar denominated.
The video also showed his Excellency tucking these monies under his
flowing gown and putting them inside an envelope.
11. We are willing to share the content of the video without any form of
editing to assist the committee in its investigation and to share the full
clips of the others that were published to the Committee in the cause of
the performance of their legislative function
12. We thank the Committee for deeming it appropriate to invite us to make
representations before it in respect of this matter
13. Thank you.
Jaafar Jaafar
Editor-in-Chief
Daily Nigerian