Defamation: Amid apology, Masari still demands N10bn from NUJ

Governor Aminu Bello Masari of Katsina State is insisting that the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), pays him N10 billion as damages for wrongly accusing him of masterminding the arrest of one of its members.

This is despite the fact that the union has since apologized and withdrew its allegation against the governor.

Masari had, after the union made the claim, denied that he was not behind the arrest of Nelson Omonu, a journalist with Summit Post News.

Discovering that the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Dutsin Ma, was behind the arrest and not Masari, the NUJ apologized to the governor and withdrew their allegation.

Following the allegation, the Coalition for Whistleblower Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF), tasked Masari with press freedom.

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But not satisfied with the NUJ apology, the Katsina State governor is now seeking N10 billion for what his lawyers called defamation of the governor’s character by the chairperson and secretary of the FCT NUJ chapter, Emmanuel Ogbeche, and Ochaika Ugwu.

The governor’s lawyer, E.O. Obunadike, argued that the apology the two journalists tendered was not enough, hence the demand for compensation.

Obunadike told journalists in Katsina on Thursday that the NUJ press statement had injured the character of the governor.

“Members of the public, after reading the said offensive and obnoxious material in several print and online newspapers, now regard our client as grossly incompetent in his administration and management of the affairs of Katsina State,” he said.

He further stated that an apology letter should also be published in eight national daily newspapers.

He said, “No small measure, blisteringly defamed, injured the character and hard-earned reputation of our client, which was painstakingly built and nurtured over decades thereby exposing him to a lot of embarrassment, public ridicule, and condemnation.

“The retraction of the first press statement should be done in eight national daily newspapers and N10 billion be paid as compensatory damages.”

He gave the journalists seven days to respond, saying, “If after seven days, we do not receive any positive response, we shall be constrained in perfecting our client’s final instructions by taking legitimate steps in accordance with the provisions of the law towards initiating both criminal and civil proceedings without further correspondence.“