Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has filed a N3 billion suit in a Kano State High Court against an online news platform, Daily Nigerian, and its publisher, Mr. Ja’afar Ja’afar, for “defamation of character, slander and libel”.
This followed the publication and release of video clips purportedly showing the governor to be collecting a bribe from an unidentified person.
According to a Writ of Summons, dated November 13, the defendants are expected to appear before the High Court 13, sitting in Kano, within 14 days.
Through his lawyer Nuradeen Ajagi, the governor is praying the court to declare that “the act of publishing and circulating libellous statements, false and doctored video clips attacking and impugning the character and integrity of the plaintiff amounts to defamation of character of the character plaintiff by the defendants and thus wrongful”.
The writ of summons also said: “Outright and unqualified imputation of theft, fraud, corruption and dishonesty, which are all criminal offences by the defendants’ publication against the plaintiff without any conviction by a court of laws, is slanderous, libellous, injurious and wrongful.
“An order perpetually restraining the defendants, their agents and all persons and entities, to whom they shared their libellous documents/records, from further defaming the good standing and character of the plaintiff.
“That the plaintiff is entitled to damages against the defendants for defamation of character by way of libel and slander.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further publishing the said defamatory story and sharing the said doctored video clips, howsoever, to whichever type of audience.
“An order compelling the defendants to pay the plaintiff the sum of N3,000,000,000 as damages for the defamation of the plaintiff’s character and standing.
“An order compelling the defendants to write a public apology to the plaintiff and broadcast such apology through their online platforms and other news media with global accessibility.”