Defamation: Igboho Slams N500m Suit on Adams

Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly called Sunday Igboho, on Thursday instituted a case of alleged defamation of character against the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams.

It was learnt that Adams had recently, in a leaked audio conversation, alleged that Igboho was an assassin allegedly being used by President Bola Tinubu for dirty jobs.

He added that unconfirmed information linked him to the murder of a former Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, late Bola Ige, who was killed by gunmen at his Bodija residence, in Ibadan, on December 23, 2001.

In the suit marked I/406/2024 before an Oyo State High Court sitting in Ibadan, Igboho is seeking an order compelling the defendant to pay N500m as aggravated damages over the leaked audio conversation, which he claimed impugned his reputation.

According to the writ of summons made available to PUNCH Online in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Thursday, Igboho is seeking, among others, “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libelous and defamatory.

“A declaration that it is unlawful, inappropriate and inexcusable for the defendant to defame, disparage and put to disrepute the character and reputation of the claimant (Igboho) in an audio clip published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, in a publication that took place between the defendant and a third party, Nuru Banjo, sometime in November, 2021 or thereabout.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to publicly retract the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content contained in the publication to Nuru Banjo, which was further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, where the claimant was defamed, maligned and disparaged by the defendant in the conversation published in November 2021 by the defendant.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to engage all new media platforms, including YouTube, to take down the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content against the claimant.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to tender unreserved apology to the claimant in five national newspapers in Nigeria over defamatory content against the claimant by the defendant which has been published on all new media platforms, including YouTube.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agent, privies or assigns from further embarrassing degrading or defaming the person of the claimant.

“An order of this court for the payment of exemplary and aggravated damages in the sum of N500m in favour of the claimant for defamation of the person of the claimant by the defendant. Cost of litigation put at the sum of N10m.”

Source: The PUNCH