Former Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Faruk Yahaya (rtd), has initiated legal action to defend his reputation following what he described as false and malicious allegations linking him to alleged terrorism financiers.
The development was disclosed in a statement dated January 7, 2026, signed by retired Brigadier General Sani Kukasheka Usman, former Director of Army Public Relations. According to the statement, the allegations were made by retired Major General Danjuma Hamisu Ali-Keffi during an interview on Arise News and were subsequently amplified by Sahara Reporters.
The statement said Yahaya, acting through his legal team led by Mohammed Ndayako, SAN, has issued formal demand notices to Ali-Keffi, Arise News, and Sahara Reporters over what it described as defamatory interviews, reports, and publications circulated in recent days.
The demand notices, dated December 17, 2025, reportedly gave the parties 72 hours upon receipt to retract the allegations, issue unreserved public apologies, and immediately cease further publication or dissemination of the claims, warning that failure to comply would result in legal action.
According to the statement, Yahaya’s decision to seek legal redress is aimed not only at protecting his personal integrity but also at discouraging the spread of unverified allegations capable of eroding public trust in national institutions and individuals who have served the country.
“He remains committed to the rule of law, accountability, professionalism, and truth, and will not allow falsehoods driven by malice or personal grievances to go unchallenged,” the statement said.
Recall that the former Army chief had, in December 2025, publicly denied allegations linking him to individuals purportedly involved in terrorism financing.
The claims, attributed to Ali-Keffi and published by Sahara Reporters, alleged that Yahaya had ties to suspected terror financiers. The publication mentioned Yahaya and other individuals in connection with alleged terrorism financing and purported links to persons described as terror suspects.
In an earlier statement issued on his behalf by Brigadier General Usman in Abuja, Yahaya described the allegations as “spurious, baseless, and entirely untrue.”
“At no point in his career, before, during, or after serving as Chief of Army Staff, did Lt.-Gen. Yahaya have any direct or indirect association with anyone involved in terrorism financing or activities that undermine national security,” the statement said.
Yahaya also accused Ali-Keffi of pursuing a personal vendetta allegedly rooted in disciplinary actions taken against him while in service, describing the claims as malicious and lacking factual basis.
He further faulted Sahara Reporters for publishing the allegations without proper verification, warning that such actions were damaging to public trust.
“These allegations run contrary to General Yahaya’s impeccable service record, professional integrity, and lifelong commitment to the defence of Nigeria,” the statement added.
The former Army chief reaffirmed his commitment to Nigeria’s fight against terrorism, stressing that the effort required responsibility, patriotism, and truth, rather than propaganda driven by personal grievances.
