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November 13, 2022
SaharaReporters had reported how Sifuba topped the trends list in South Africa after she was captured in the sex tape.
Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has deployed militants to threaten SaharaReporters over a recent report that Zanele Sifuba, Speaker of South Africa’s African National Congress (ANC) Free State legislature, identified him as being behind the leakage of her sex tape.
SaharaReporters had reported how Sifuba topped the trends list in South Africa after she was captured in the sex tape.
Many South Africans, groups and parties have sympathised with her and condemned the circulation of her nude images and sex tape, including Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Provincial Secretary Malefane Bosanku Msimanga. Some have expressed disappointment and disgust over the clip.
The exploded ticking-time bomb scandal apparently started with the leakage of screenshots from the actual video.
It was learnt that the nudes started making the rounds on Monday, 31 October.
The Free State Legislature quickly responded by ordering an investigation into the Speaker’s sex scandal.
“The Legislature will establish investigations into this Gender-based violence. This is harassment and whoever shared this video must face the law. This is an insult to elderly women.”
The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) Provincial Secretary Malefane Bosanku Msimanga and African National Congress Youth League (ANCYL) Regional Chairperson Edgar Legoale condemned the ‘insensitive’ circulation of nude images of what appears to be those of the Speaker of Free State legislature.
The parties said that the person responsible for the circulation of the images should be arrested, charged and sentenced to a minimum of 15 years of jail term.
A post on a Facebook account with the name Sifuba Zanele on Thursday identified Governor Diri as the Nigerian man who leaked the video. The governor has however denied the allegation, saying he has had no contact or relationship with the South African politician. Speaking through his Director of New Media, Kola Oredipe, Diri also said he had not been to South Africa in 10 years.
However, the Movement for Emancipation of Niger Delta, MEND has threatened to sue and physically harm SaharaReporters and an activist, Deji Adeyanju over the report.
The separatist group, acting like the spokesperson for the governor, also described the allegation as spurious, false, fallacious and unfounded.
The leadership of MEND also said Diri had not been to South Africa in 10 years and that he does not have an affair with the South African lawmaker.
In a statement issued on Saturday, MEND’s Spokesman Commander, Inetimi Godspower warned that if SaharaReporters and Adeyanju fail to take down the news, the group’s militants may be forced to leave the creeks to find them to institute severe legal action and carry out physical action against them.
The group also threatened the publisher of SaharaReporters and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, saying he would have a case to answer if the report was not retracted with an apology to the governor of the South-South state.
“We are not unaware that this is just an evil handiwork of politicians who are bent on maligning the image of the Governor in response to their incurable envy because of the rising profile of the Governor’s performance.
“It is most unfortunate that Sahara Reporters owned by a con man of questionable character, Omoyele Sowore has made itself a willing tool for this shady job.
“This will be the last of their criminal blackmail and desperate attempt to tarnish the image of the performing Governor General of Ijaw nations. This is a man who has demonstrated transformal (sic) leadership in the state.
“Sahara Reporters, Deji Adeyanju and those sponsoring them will know that defamation has a consequence. They must provide evidence and withdraw the libelous publication with (an) apology; if not, the repercussions will be serious.
“Governor General of Ijaw Nation is busy keeping his covenant of excellent leadership with the people and we will not tolerate mischief makers and criminal liars defaming him and going scot-free,” the group said.