By Gift ChapiOdekina,Abuja

The Minority Whip of the House of Representatives, Hon. Ali Isa JC has called for the investigation and prosecution of two individuals, Thomas Likka and Yusuf Bindeka, over what he described as criminal defamation, injurious falsehood, and incitement against his person and the National Assembly.

In the petition dated June 23 and addressed to the Commissioner of Police, Gombe State Command, Hon. Isa alleged that the duo used their social media platforms to spread “utterly false, baseless, reckless and unfounded allegations” with the intent to tarnish his reputation and incite religious disharmony in his constituency.

According to the lawmaker, “Messrs Thomas Likka and Yusuf Bindeka have, through their various social media handles, maliciously defamed me with the sole aim of causing animosity and disaffection among the people of different faiths that I represent at the National Assembly.”

He further claimed that one of the accused, Mr. Likka, created a video that went viral, making what he called “unfounded claims” against a church he had supported in a building project. Hon. Isa noted that documentary evidence was attached to his petition to show his contributions to the church and debunk the accusations.

In a more damning allegation, the lawmaker said the duo falsely claimed that he receives billions of naira in unaccounted allowances as a member of the National Assembly, a move he believes was calculated to mislead the public and paint him as corrupt.

“These lies are not only damaging to my person but also seek to undermine the integrity of the National Assembly,” Isa said, describing the online campaign as a “deliberate and coordinated campaign of calumny.”

The petition also raised concerns over the potential of the alleged actions to spark religious tension. Hon. Isa accused the two men of making “inciting statements” on Facebook and WhatsApp that could fuel interfaith conflict if left unchecked.

“In the light of the facts highlighted above, if the criminal activities of Messrs Thomas Likka and Yusuf Bindeka are not put in check, they will continue to cause reputational harm to innocent people in the society and even cause disharmony among members of the public,” he warned.

The lawmaker urged the police to consider the gravity of the offences and commence immediate investigation in the interest of justice and public peace.