The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on Nigerians to disregard falsehoods and become alert to the dangers of malicious use of social media to substitute for fact-based inquiry and due process.
The National Coordinator of HURIWA, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko during a press briefing urged Nigerian public to set the record straight, to separate fact from fiction, and to prevent the misuse of social media and other platforms to damage the reputation of people who has serve the country with honour and dedication.
HURIWA was reacting to the rape allegations made against the former Minister of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Affairs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Alhaji Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) from one Ms. Hadiza Musa Baffa.
He urged members of the media, civil society, and the Nigerian public at large to treat these latest allegations with the utmost caution.
He said they are not new; they have been investigated, tested, and found wanting. What we are witnessing is not a pursuit of justice, but rather a campaign of character assassination against a distinguished son of Nigeria.
According to him, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria reaffirms its confidence in the integrity of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN).
He said for the avoidance of doubt, it is important to revisit the background of the individual making these allegations. At one point in her life, Ms. Hadiza Musa Baffa was placed under guardianship by a close family friend, acting at the request of her mother.
He explained that unfortunately, instead of utilising this opportunity to build a promising future, reports indicate that she became entangled in conduct that created serious challenges for those who took her in, eventually leading to the termination of her guardianship and her return to her mother.
“What is most troubling is the way she repeatedly dragged the name of Kabiru Tanimu Turaki (SAN) into these matters. Depending on the situation, she presented herself as his daughter, opening bank accounts in that identity.
“At other times, she claimed he was her uncle. When that narrative no longer served her, she adopted the claim that he was her husband. Most recently, she went further, alleging that he was her abuser, including claims of sexual assault and ritual practices.
“The contradictions in these shifting identities are glaring, and they underscore the deliberate nature of the attempt to damage the integrity of a respected figure.
“The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria does not base its position on rumours. We rely on verified investigations and documented findings. When these allegations were formally reported, the Nigeria Police Force, through its Force Criminal Investigation Department and Force Intelligence Department, conducted a comprehensive investigation.
“After an exhaustive inquiry, the Police concluded that the allegations were baseless, unfounded, and motivated by malice rather than facts.
“Beyond the conclusion of the Police, it is worth noting that her own father, Mr. Musa Bashir Baffa, wrote a formal letter of apology to Mr. Turaki. Similarly, during the holy month of Ramadan, precisely on 12 March 2025, Ms. Baffa herself sent an apology to Mr. Turaki via WhatsApp.
” In that message, she acknowledged her missteps, pleaded for forgiveness, and undertook to withdraw her petition. True to her word, she followed up with a formal letter dated 25 April 2025, addressed to the Inspector-General of Police, in which she withdrew her petition in writing.
“It is therefore deeply troubling that, despite the Police findings, her father’s apology, and her own written admission of wrongdoing, Ms. Baffa has once again taken to social media platforms to repeat these allegations in the so-called “court of public opinion.”
“Having failed to substantiate her claims before the Police and in formal legal processes, she now appears to be resorting to propaganda, hoping to achieve through public sympathy what she could not prove through evidence.
“This trend is not only unfair to Mr. Turaki, it is also damaging to the wider fight for justice in Nigeria. False allegations, when left unchecked, weaken the voices of genuine victims of abuse and exploitation, who may be disbelieved because of high-profile cases of falsehood.
“It is for this reason that HURIWA views this matter not merely as a personal attack on one man, but as a disturbing attempt to weaponize social media and undermine the credibility of legitimate advocacy for human rights,” he said.
