Alleged Libel: Lai Mohammed sues online publisher, demands N50bn

By Matthew Eloyi

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture, has dragged an online publisher, Jackson Ude, to a Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja for an alleged libelous publication.

The minister joined the editor of the publication, Uduma Mba, as a second defendant in the complaint filed by his lawyer, Taofeek Yahaya.

The plaintiff is demanding N50 billion in damages in a writ of summons signed by his counsel and dated January 21, 2022.

Journalists in Abuja received a copy of the court process on Sunday.

According to the document, the defendants in the publication, Pointblanknews, alleged that the minister was involved in a-N10bn fraud, adding that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has commenced investigating the matter.

Mohammed said the report published on August 3, 2021 in Pointbalnknews.com was circulated worldwide and has caused damage to his reputation.

He prayed the court to restrain the defendants from further publishing defamatory reports against him.

According to the writ of summons, one of the witnesses listed to give evidence in the matter is the minister, who is expected to lead evidence.

The case is yet to be assigned to a judge.