The Nigerian Navy on Monday urged the public to disregard the story that Vice-Adm. Mike Akhigbe, a former Navy Chief of Staff, was dead.
In a statement, the Director of Navy Information, Commodore Kabir Aliyu, said the report in the media was misleading.
“The Naval Headquarters has made concerted efforts to authenticate the story with the admiral’s family in the US and it was found out that the admiral is alive,’’ the statement said.
It noted that the report appeared on the front page of a national newspaper, adding: “This shows that the reporter who filed the story did not cross-check his facts with the family before going to the press.
“The publication has, therefore, caused the Akhigbe family and Nigerians in general unnecessary embarrassment.”’
The statement advised journalists to authenticate their stories with relevant authorities, especially the death of prominent citizens, in the spirit of objective journalism.
Akhigbe was the Chief of General Staff in the administration Gen. Ibrahim Babangida.