Renowned academic and activist, Professor Zacharys Anger Gundu, has firmly rejected demands for an apology issued by the legal team of Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi A. Sule, over his recent comments on the governor’s role in the ongoing crisis involving Fulani bandits.
The controversy stems from Prof. Gundu’s remarks during a televised Townhall event hosted by NewsCentral TV on July 10, 2025. The programme, titled “Crisis in the Heartland: Ending the Cycle of Violence in Benue”, focused on the unrelenting attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen on communities across Benue State.
In a bold legal response dated July 28, 2025, the Abuja-based law firm S.T. Hon (SAN) & Co., acting on behalf of Prof. Gundu, made it clear that their client would neither retract his statements nor issue any apology. The response was directed to Ahmed Raji & Co., the legal representatives of Governor Sule, who had earlier demanded a public apology over what they described as “defamatory remarks.”
Prof. Gundu, in his defence, maintained that his statements were based on facts, were in the public interest, and are protected by the legal principles of fair comment and justification. The letter emphasized the professor’s right to hold Governor Sule accountable as the Chief Security Officer of Nasarawa State, particularly given the state’s proximity to violence-prone areas and its role in ongoing regional insecurity.
The rebuttal referenced several past incidents and public statements by Nasarawa officials, including former governor Tanko Al-Makura, who was accused of trivializing the threat posed by armed groups by characterizing them as “hunters.” It also cited a Vanguard newspaper article dated August 19, 2020, in which Governor Sule acknowledged the influx of Fulani herders into Nasarawa following clashes in other parts of the country.
According to Hobnob News, Prof. Gundu’s legal team expressed readiness to present “overwhelming evidence” in court to justify every claim made by the professor during the Townhall meeting. The letter suggested that attempts to silence Prof. Gundu would only draw more public attention to what they described as “deep-rooted complicity and institutional failure” in addressing insecurity in Nigeria’s Middle Belt.
As the legal standoff unfolds, observers say the case could become a major test of academic freedom, free speech, and government accountability in the context of Nigeria’s worsening security crisis.
