“No retreat, no surrender” – Naja’atu refuses to apologise to Ribadu over anti-Tinubu remarks

Naja’atu Muhammad, founder of the Northern Star Youth Initiative, has firmly rejected demands for an apology or retraction of her recent comments about Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser (NSA).

In a video posted on social media, Naja’atu reaffirmed her claim that Ribadu had once reprimanded prominent political figures, including President Bola Tinubu, George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), and Orji Kalu, the senator representing Abia North.

Naja’atu had alleged that during his tenure as chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ribadu accused Tinubu—who was then governor of Lagos—of corruption. She pointed out the irony of Ribadu now serving in an administration led by individuals he had previously criticised.

Her remarks prompted a legal response from the NSA. On Tuesday, Ribadu, through his lawyer Ahmed Raji, demanded a public apology and retraction.

Adding fuel to the dispute, Nasir el-Rufai, a former minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), backed Naja’atu’s claims. He stated that he was present at a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in 2016 when Ribadu allegedly accused Tinubu and others of corruption.

In her video response, Naja’atu dismissed Ribadu’s legal threats, saying she would not be intimidated.

“There is no retreat, no surrender, and no apology to Nuhu Ribadu,” she declared.

She accused Ribadu of using “attack dogs” and his lawyer, Ahmed Raji, to silence her.

“Regarding my statement that the chairman of EFCC had publicly accused the then governor Ahmed Bola Tinubu of being ‘a corrupt government official who will not escape justice’—while I acknowledge that Nuhu Ribadu might have forgotten or chosen to retract his comments from the past, I stand by my statement and do not believe an apology is warranted. Apology to whom exactly?”

She emphasised that her comments were based on widely known public records and insisted she would not compromise her position to appease Ribadu.

“My words accurately reflect my views on the matter based on what is already in the public domain. I don’t believe that an apology or retraction is necessary. I would not compromise my position to appease Ribadu and his attack dogs.”

She further challenged Ribadu to take legal action as he had threatened.