A Direct Message to KY Tebo: Let Facts, Fairness and Responsible Commentary Prevail Over Unfounded Allegations, by SK Usman

A Direct Message to KY Tebo: Let Facts, Fairness and Responsible Commentary Prevail Over Unfounded Allegations

By SK Usman

Dear KY Tebo,

I have read your Hausa-language publication on Facebook containing serious allegations against Brigadier General DH Abdulsalam (rtd), PhD, the Special Adviser to the Yobe State Government on Security Affairs which you inadvertently deleted. But have the screenshot. Having considered your claims against the background of the report published by Security Digest on 8 October 2026 concerning the arrest of Alhaji Wakiil Goni Mama, popularly known as Mai Salati, I believe it is necessary to address you directly and urge you to exercise greater caution and responsibility in your public commentary.

First, I find it troubling that you appear to attribute sinister motives to General Abdulsalam without presenting verifiable evidence to substantiate your claims. Allegations of corruption, oppression, complicity and political manipulation are serious matters that should never be made lightly. They have the potential to damage reputations, undermine public confidence and inflame tensions within communities already grappling with security challenges.

General Abdulsalam is a retired senior military officer who served the Nigerian Army in various command, instructional and staff appointments. His responsibilities included serving as Director of Operations at Army Headquarters, a position that demands considerable professional competence, sound judgement and an understanding of complex operational issues.

Beyond his military career, he currently serves as Special Adviser to the Yobe State Government on Security Affairs. Determined to contribute to a more secure Yobe State, he continues to engage relevant stakeholders and bring his wealth of military experience, professional knowledge and understanding of security operations to bear on his responsibilities.

Having known General Abdulsalam personally, I can attest to the fact that he is not a man given to frivolities. I therefore find it unfair to make sweeping assertions about his character, professional record or motives without credible evidence. Disagreement with an official decision does not justify an attempt to discredit the individual responsible for it.

KY Tebo, you should also appreciate that Yobe State provides an encouraging example of the possibilities of sustaining relative peace despite the serious security challenges confronting the North-East. This progress is the product of collective efforts involving the state government, security agencies, traditional institutions, community leaders and ordinary citizens.

General Abdulsalam has brought his wealth of experience and knowledge to bear on the discharge of his responsibilities. While no single individual can claim exclusive credit for the security situation in the state, his contribution deserves to be assessed objectively and fairly.

His continued collaboration with relevant stakeholders is particularly important because sustainable security requires trust, coordination, credible information and community participation. Public commentary should strengthen these efforts rather than undermine them through unsubstantiated personal accusations.

I have particular affection for the good people of Geidam. I have friends from that community, and one of my teachers during my secondary school days in Kafanchan also hailed from Geidam. I therefore have personal connections that make me appreciate the people and their community.

The people of Geidam deserve peace, security, dignity and development. Their concerns should be heard and addressed, and their interests should be protected. However, legitimate concerns about security operations must be distinguished from allegations against particular individuals, which require credible evidence.

It is neither fair nor helpful to portray security-related developments as a conspiracy against an entire community without establishing the facts. The people of Geidam deserve responsible representation and constructive engagement, not narratives that could deepen mistrust between their community and the institutions working to protect lives and property.

The Security Digest report of 8 October 2026 stated that Mai Salati was arrested over allegations of providing logistical support to ISWAP, collaborating with the terrorist group and attempting to bribe military personnel to secure the release of suspects detained in Kanamma, Yobe State. The report also addressed claims that the arrest was politically motivated.

These allegations must be investigated and established through due process. An arrest does not establish guilt, just as an assertion of political persecution does not, by itself, establish that an arrest was orchestrated for political reasons.

My questions to you are straightforward: What verifiable evidence links General Abdulsalam personally to the alleged wrongdoing? What credible evidence establishes that he engineered the arrest? On what basis do you attribute malicious intentions to him or claim that his actions were directed against the people of Geidam?

If you have such evidence, the responsible course is to present it through appropriate channels and allow the competent authorities to examine it. If you do not, you should reconsider making or circulating allegations that could unfairly damage another person’s reputation.

You should also exercise caution when relying on ChatGPT or any other artificial intelligence tool to establish facts about an individual’s military career, character or conduct. Such tools can produce inaccurate information. They are not substitutes for official military records, independently verified evidence or the findings of competent authorities.

General Abdulsalam is also a recognised traditional title holder in the Damaturu Emirate. This standing, alongside his military experience and present public responsibility, places him within important networks of community leadership and engagement.

Of course, neither military rank nor traditional title should place anyone beyond legitimate scrutiny. Equally, neither should be disregarded when assessing an individual’s record and contributions. The proper approach is to evaluate conduct on the basis of credible evidence, fairness and due process rather than insinuation or personal animosity.

KY Tebo, I urge you to reconsider your publication, verify your claims and withdraw or correct any allegations that you cannot substantiate. If you maintain that your assertions are true, provide credible evidence to support them. Where serious allegations have been published without adequate justification, the affected individual is entitled to consider appropriate legal remedies, including redress for defamation, subject to applicable law and the circumstances of the publication.

The freedom to express opinions comes with a responsibility to avoid presenting speculation as established fact. Social media is not a court of law, and the repetition of an allegation does not make it true.

You can criticise government policies, question security decisions and advocate for the welfare of Geidam without making unsupported personal accusations against General Abdulsalam. Indeed, responsible criticism is more persuasive when it is based on verifiable facts and directed towards constructive solutions.

Therefore, KY Tebo, I appeal to you to place the collective interests of Yobe State above personal disagreements or political considerations. Having known General Abdulsalam personally, I believe he deserves a fair assessment of his distinguished military career, his command, instructional and staff appointments, his service as Director of Operations at Army Headquarters, and his present efforts as Special Adviser on Security Affairs to the Yobe State Government.

The relative peace enjoyed in many parts of Yobe State is worth protecting. The good people of Geidam deserve our respect, and those entrusted with security responsibilities deserve to be judged fairly on the basis of evidence. Where there are legitimate grievances, let them be addressed through constructive dialogue and lawful processes.

KY Tebo, let facts prevail over rumour, evidence over insinuation, and responsible criticism over personal attacks. Yobe State needs peace, unity and constructive engagement—not unsubstantiated allegations capable of undermining confidence and goodwill.

Brigadier General SK Usman (rtd) mni PhD fnipr