The National Chairman of New Deal Organization Prince Daniel Kanu has dismissed as false, malicious and defamatory a social media publication allegedly authored and circulated by actor and filmmaker, Ugezu J. Ugezu, claiming that he was arrested, prosecuted, convicted and imprisoned in the early 2000s.
In a statement made available to journalists in Owerri, Kanu described the allegation as a “complete fabrication” deliberately designed to tarnish his hard-earned reputation and mislead the public.
According to him, “For the avoidance of doubt, I have never been arrested, charged, tried or convicted of any criminal offence in Nigeria or in any other part of the world. At no point in my life have I been imprisoned.”
He said the claims contained in the Facebook publication were not only false and baseless, but also a calculated act of character assassination.
Kanu noted that while the author of the publication might attempt to justify the post as a form of moral or ideological commentary aimed at discouraging political sycophancy among young Nigerians, such motive does not excuse the spread of falsehood and reputational damage.
“The decision to use my person as a case study in that narrative is not only inappropriate, but clearly dishonest and defamatory,” he stated.
Reflecting on his political involvement during the era of late General Sani Abacha, Kanu said his actions at the time were driven by his belief in the prospects of youth development and national advancement.
“My involvement during that period was guided by my conviction that initiatives such as Vision 2010 held meaningful opportunities for youth empowerment and national development. I make no apologies for supporting what I believed was in the best interest of Nigerian youth,” he said.
He added that such historical participation should not be distorted or weaponised through false allegations years later.
Kanu further described himself as an entrepreneur and philanthropist with substantial business interests in Nigeria and abroad, stressing that he has continued to contribute meaningfully to national development through investments, youth empowerment programmes, community development projects and support for the less privileged.
On the legal steps already taken, Kanu disclosed that he had formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over what he termed the “willful, malicious and criminally defamatory” actions of Ugezu.
He said the petition also raised issues bordering on cyberbullying and cyberstalking in line with extant Nigerian laws.
“I can confirm that the appropriate authorities have acknowledged receipt of the petition and have commenced necessary investigative actions,” he said.
The former youth figure also declared his readiness to pursue the matter to its logical conclusion, including civil and criminal proceedings against all individuals involved in originating and spreading the alleged falsehood.
“This is not just about personal redress. It is about setting a clear precedent against the growing culture of misinformation, cyber harassment and reputational abuse on digital platforms,” he stated.
Kanu therefore called on members of the public to disregard the claims in circulation, insisting that they are entirely false and should not be entertained by reasonable and right-thinking individuals.
He also urged bloggers, social media influencers and public commentators to imbibe the culture of due diligence and fact-checking before publishing sensitive claims capable of damaging reputations.
“The digital space must not become a haven for reckless speech, unverified allegations and character assassination disguised as commentary,” he warned.
Kanu maintained that he remains a committed nation-builder and respected public figure whose contributions to youth development and societal progress speak louder than what he described as “manufactured false narratives.”
He vowed to continue defending his name, legacy and truth through every lawful means available.
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