Ganduje sues publisher of his alleged $5m bribery videos, demands N3bn as damages

After court rules in his favour and asked the state House of Assembly to suspend probe into his alleged corruption, Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, has instituted a N3 billion suit against an online news platform, Daily Nigerian, and its publisher, Mr. Ja’afar Ja’afar.

In a suit he filed before a Federal High Court, the governor argued that the publications and release of video clips by the online news platform alleging he was involved in bribery was a defamation of his character and amounts to slander and libel.

A Writ of Summons dated November 13, 2018, showed that the defendants are expected to appear before the High Court 13, sitting in Kano within 14 days.

In the suit through his counsel, Nuradeen Ajagi, the governor who even acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, recently refused to entertain question into his alleged fraud, asked the court to declare that:

“The act of publishing and circulating libelous 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.

“Outright and unqualified imputation of theft, fraud, corruption and dishonesty which are all criminal offenses by the defendants’ publication against the plaintiff without any conviction by a court of laws, is slanderous, libelous, injurious and wrongful.

“In order perpetually restraining the defendants, their agents and all persons and entities to whom they shared their libelous 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.

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“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 (Three billion naira) as damages for the defamation of the plaintiff 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.”

The online news portal had recently published a series of video clips, showing Governor Ganduje collecting stacks of dollar notes alleged to be contract kick-backs.

Currently, a trending video in the internet had shown President Muhammadu Buhari, while addressing Nigerians in France, commending Ganduje and describing him as a responsible man who has brought development to the people of Kano.

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