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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore and two lawyers have been dragged before a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, in a N150m defamation suit for alleged offensive and injurious publication.
The lawyers Uchenna Oriji and Ogbonna Arochukwu are in a suit marked CV/3980/2024 accused of causing a false and unfounded information to published against a fellow lawyer, Nkemakolam Okoro, in a manner that is injurious to his reputation, credit and character.
The claimant, Okoro ofalleged offensive statement and publication according to the claimant, is contained in the petition written by the two lawyers to the Legal Practitioner’s Disciplinary Committee LPDC, alleging that on October 30, 2020, falsely claiming to act as counsel for Mr. Fabian Aroh Ajah, forged an affidavit in the name of Mr. Fabian Ajah and instituted petition No: BB/LPDC/317/2020, against Mr. Francis Ngwoke before the LPDC No BB/LPDC/317/2020, which was signed and sealed by Mr. Nkemakolam Okoro.
“That on August 31, 2021, the said Mr Fabian Aroh Ajah, appeared before the LPDC and informed the LPDC that he never instructed Mr Nkemakolam Okoro and Mr Innocent Omoko to either institute or discontinue petition No: BB/LPDC/317/2020.
“That the Chairman of the LPDC further ordered Mr Nkemakolam Okoro and Francis Ngwoke whether they wished to provide any statements on oath to contradict Mr. Fabian Ajah’s testimony, of which both lawyers vehemently refused
“That the Chairman of the LPDC directed both Mr. Okoro and Omoko to apologies to Mr. Fabian Ajah and Francis Ngwoke, for the embarrassment caused in filling the petition without lawful authority. But they have refused to comply with the order of the LPDC and have equally refused to appear before the committee.”
The claimant told the court that the above false statement contained in the letter written by the 1st and 2nd defendants and dated February 5, 2024, has since been addressed and published to the Secretary, Nigerian Bar Association, Chief Justice of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation, the Chairman of Body of Benchers, the Chief Judge of the FCT, President of NBA, the Secretary LPDC and a copy of which was also sent to his office.
Okoro added that the offensive and libelous has also been published by the 3rd defendant and all over the world, earlier online by the defendants at https: //Sahara reporters.com/2022/12/2020 nigerian-legal-disciplinary committee -lpdc/-orders-prosecution-ex-senate-plus, concerning and touching on his integrity and reputation.
He asked the court to grant a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from further making or publishing any defamatory statement or any further defamatory statements against him.
Besides the monetary compensation for damages, the claimant is seeking an order of court directing the defendants to publish a full page retreaction and apology in seven national dailies including the Daily Sun Newspaper.
