A Nigerian businessman Aku Idume has dragged two bloggers and content creator in Agozi Samuel and Ebonyi sons before the Federal Capital Territory High Court Abuja for alleged libellous publications.
Mr Idume’s counsel,who is Abuja based human Rights lawyer in Samuel Ihensekhien, filed the suit on 13 March 2024.
Also listed as second defendant is another blogger, Ebonyi Son.
In court filings, the plaintiff decried his portrayal by the defendants as a man of questionable character.
Mr Idume said as a member of the Zion Ministry of Evangelism, the defendants’ injurious publications on social media platforms have caused him immeasurable pain.
“The plaintiff avers that the 1st defendant (Agozi Samuel) made cyberbullying and defamatory videos and other posts against the personality of the plaintiff and Evang Ebuka Obi, the founder of Zion Ministry of Evangelism,” the claimant’s statement of claim revealed.
Referencing one of the offending publications, the plaintiff’s lawyer said the defendants in a Facebook video post on their various social media handles defamed his client when they claimed that Mr Idume and Evangelist Ebuka Obi contacted a girl in Rivers State to come and perform fake miracle.
Mr Idume lamented that his family members and friends who were active on social media drew his attention to the several defamatory posts against him.
In aid of his case, the plaintiff said he would rely on copies of the various defamatory videos and posts of the defendants which were circulated on the cyberspace.
Reliefs*
In one of the prayers, the plaintiff urged the court to declare the various videos publications and other media publications authored by the defendants and circulated on their social media platforms are “libellous, false, malicious, injurious and intended to lower the reputation and integrity of the plaintiff before members of the public.
The plaintiff’s lawyer prayed the court to order the defendants to retract the injurious publications and tender an unreserved apology to the plaintiff in national dailies within seven days from the date of judgement.
Similarly, Mr Ihensekhien urged the court to stop the defendants from further publishing libellous contents against his client.
Also, the plaintiff begged the court to award the sum of N500 million against the defendants in favour of the Plaintiff.
The plaintiff lawyer equally urged the court to award N5 million as cost of prosecution im the suit against the defendants.
Meanwhile, the case has yet to be assigned to a judge for adjudication,but an advanced copy of this case has been served on two defendants vide there email and whatsapp phone number by the plaintiff.
