By Lubem Gena
ARISE News has announced the immediate discontinuation of appearances by political analyst Anthony Kila on its television network, following allegations concerning the authenticity of his academic credentials.
The decision was contained in a disclaimer issued by the ARISE News Editorial Board, which said the development followed a recent investigative report by Premium Times that raised serious questions about Kila’s academic qualifications.
According to the statement, Kila had appeared several times on the ARISE News Channel as a freelance political analyst before the allegations emerged.
The network said it became aware of the allegations through the Premium Times investigation and subsequently contacted Kila on October 3, 2026, requesting his response to the claims.
“Following claims that Anthony Kila falsified his entire academic credentials, we contacted Mr Kila on 03 October, 2026 with the allegations. He asked for more time to respond to the claims,” the statement said.
However, ARISE News said Kila had failed to respond ten days after he was contacted, while what it described as further allegations had continued to emerge.
“In the circumstances we find that his contributions to The ARISE News Channel is no longer tenable,” the network stated.
The broadcaster stressed that it was unaware of the allegations at the time Kila featured on its platform, adding that it places a high premium on credibility, integrity and professional standards.
“ARISE News was unaware of these allegations at the time Anthony Kila appeared on our platform and as we take matters of credibility and integrity extremely seriously,” the Editorial Board said.
The network further noted that it had taken cognisance of the findings contained in the Premium Times investigation and had consequently decided that Kila would no longer appear on its platforms, either immediately or in the future.
The decision effectively ends Kila’s association with the network as a political analyst, pending any developments that may arise from the allegations and his response to them.
ARISE News concluded its disclaimer by reiterating its position that Kila’s appearances on the channel had been discontinued with immediate effect.
The development comes amid heightened scrutiny of academic credentials in Nigeria, particularly where individuals occupy public-facing or influential professional positions.
