…Demands N10bn Compensation
International billionaire lawyer, politician and philanthropist, Hon. Ned Nwoko, has demanded the retraction of a story written against him by an online media, Premium Times, that he is a land grabber and demanded a N10 billion as compensation from the media house.
The demand was contained in a letter written by his lawyers, Rolls Law Firm, dated May 17, 2021 and signed by Onyeka Nwokolo Esq., and addressed to the Managing Director of Premium Times.
Titled: ‘Demand For Retraction of the Libellous Publication In Your Online News Media, Premium Times, Against Hon. Ned Nwoko And An Apology In Two National Dailies And Payment Of Damages For The Publication Of the Libel,’ the letter stated that “our attention has been drawn by several people, including members of his family, friends, business associates and co-politicians, amongst other well-meaning Nigerians, to series of your false publications in your news media, where you maliciously with intent to bring our client to contempt and ridicule him in the eyes of the public, published false, untrue and concocted stories about him.”
The letter further added that in one of such publications dated 8th December, 2020 and captioned ‘How Ex-Lawmaker, Ned Nwoko Grabbed Community’s Land, Dislodged Poor Farmers,’ Premium Times maliciously and falsely stated that Ned Nwoko, a billionaire former lawmaker from Delta State grabbed four acres of farmland of a 90-year-old Oghedi Ogodi, which she inherited from her husband as her only means of sustenance.
The law firm further stated that the publication further averred that the medium’s investigation into the allegations against the lawmaker revealed that Mr. Nwoko did not only bully individual landowners in order to take over their properties, he also hoodwinked the community before acquiring the land for STAR University.
The lawyers further alleged that in another story entitled: ‘How Massive Land Grab By Ex-Lawmaker, Ned Nwoko, Ignited Fatal Violence In Delta Community,’ the publication stated that Ned Nwoko’s land grab has led to violence, kingship tussle and human rights violations in Idumuje-Ugboko in Delta State.
The letter added, “Your references to our client as a land grabber, who will not stop at nothing in order to takeover people’s land gravely profiled him as an invader. The false allegations implies that our client is an extorter, a dishonest, fraudulent and a person of questionable character in the eyes of respectable people in the society.
“Our client unequivocally denies all the allegations you made against him in the said publications and other publications by you on same subject, which due to the constraint of space cannot be contained herein, all of which were intended to drag his integrity to the mud.
“On the contrary, our client followed laid down processes in the acquisition of lands in Idumuje-Ugboko. Your malicious publications were deliberately orchestrated to inflict indelible scars on the reputation of our client, as easily verifiable facts were advertently ignored by you to foster your quest to destroy as illustrated hereof.”
The law firm added in the letter that the claim that the late king’s signature in the letter approving the allocation of land was forged has been investigated and authenticated by experts.
It added that those who peddled the false allegation were charged for false information.
Nwoko’s lawyers insisted that the local government chairman affirmed that he confered with the late king and confirmed that he signed the letter before they proceeded with formalising and allocation.
The law firm further stated that the Advisor to the Delta State governor on Peace and Reconciliation, one Chief Uzor, confirmed the late king’s signature.
The lawyers emphasized that their client is a well-respected person in Idumuje-Ugboko village, in Aniocha North Local Government Area of Delta State and everywhere, both within and outside the shores of the country.
They said that he was a member of the Federal House of Representatives, a senatorial aspirant, a multiple honorary doctorate awardee, an astute politician, an international lawyer, a business mogul, and a philanthropist.
They added, “He is a social reformer, who has the interest of his people at heart and always attracts developmental projects to his people.
“Our client is renowned worldwide for leading the crusade and fight to eradicate malaria. And as such he has a substantial social-media presence and following.
“The publications you made were read by the public within and outside Nigeria and it has cost our client his reputation as well -meaning Nigerians are beginning to look at our client with contempt and disdain and he is being ridiculed and openly embarrassed as a land grabber and extortionist.
“His involvement in proposed businesses and several other activities are met with sudden cold shoulder and silent rebuff, since after your false and malicious publication. They believed your false story and think our client is a dishonest person.”
They therefore demanded that Premium Times publish in two national newspapers as well as in their online news media statements retracting the earlier “Libellous Publications of 8th and 12th December, 2020 with an unreserved apology.”
The media house was also asked to pay a sum of N10 billion only to “our client as compensation for the malicious, false and disparaging publications.”
The law firm said that the letter should be taken as a pre-action notice to the online news medium, peradventure it choose not to heed to the demands.
