Minister To Slam N10bn Suit On Human Rights Radio Over Defamatory Comments

The Minister of youths and sports development, Sunday Dare has threatened to slam a N10 billion suit on the founder and main presenter of the Human Rights Radio, Ahmed Isah.

The Minister issued the threat on Thursday after the owner of the radio and presenter of popular ‘Programme Berekete Family’ alleged that the minister collected N200 million naira from Nigeria Football Federation, (NFF) when he assumed office.

According to a letter dated Thursday, December 12, 2019, sent by the Minister’s lawyers, Okechukwu C. Uju-Azorji and Festus Ukpe, the minister is asking the presenter popularly known as ‘Ordinary President’ to apologise for defamatory publications against him within seven days or face a civil suit of N10,000,000,000.00 in damages.

The letter was titled “demand to retract bribery allegation published against the person of MR. SUNDAY DARE and to cease from making any further defamatory publications against him.”

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It reads in part: ‘Our attention has been drawn to a programme popularly known as “Brekete Family Programme” aired on your station on the mornings of 11th &12th December, 2019.

In the course of the said programme, you made defamatory statements against our client. Specifically, on 11th December, 2019, in the course of the said programme, you made the following statement:

“Any minister wey just land, the first thing wey this people go do na to give you 200 million naira. So if it be say this Dare don collect 200 million naira, if no be so why him no put mouth”

Additionally, on 12th December, 2019, in the course of the programme, you also made the following statement:

“As soon as dem appoint you minister, dem dey give the person 200 million naira so wetin me I dey suspect be say, no be say this present minister of sports no get the capacity, e be like say monkey hand don resemble human being hand, maybe he collect the 200 million naira and him neck don dey deep, if he try to dig, maybe him leg go show.”

According to the letter, “We have our client’s instructions to demand an unreserved apology and a retraction of the defamatory publication in favour of our client to be broadcast in your programme and published in two (2) newspapers with nationwide coverage within seven (7) days of your receipt of this letter.

“Kindly note that in the event that you refuse to comply with the above requests, we will be left with no options than to seek redress for our client through the instrumentality of the judicial process and thereby seek injunctive reliefs and Ten Billion Naira (N10, 000,000,000.00) in damages for the embarrassment which your publication has occasioned our client,” the letter stated.

20th April 2024
Nigerian Pantagraph
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