Libel: Atiku files N2.5bn suit against Buhari’s aide

A former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, for her alleged libelous tweet via her Twitter handle on May 7, 2019. The post allegedly suggested that Atiku was on the watchlist of security operatives in the United Arab Emirates and had travelled to shop for terrorists […]

A former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, for her alleged libelous tweet via her Twitter handle on May 7, 2019.

The post allegedly suggested that Atiku was on the watchlist of security operatives in the United Arab Emirates and had travelled to shop for terrorists in the Middle East.

The libel suit which was asking for a N2.5billion in damages was filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja by Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on behalf of Atiku. It was filed on June 26.

The presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party in the February 23 poll had in a May 14, 2019 letter, demanded an apology, retraction and payment of N500million compensation from Onochie “to assuage” the damage allegedly caused him by her social media post.

Atiku, in his statement of claim accompanying his suit, stated that rather than show “remorse by retracting her earlier publication”, the presidential aide on May 20 further made “another derogatory publication and also published same globally online in the social and other print media” against his person.

He denied the allegations contained in the said publication which he described as “a figment of the imagination of the defendant”, but said it portrayed him “as an evil man, mentor of terrorists, someone who has links with terrorists, and a person who is interested in destabilising the peace and unity of Nigeria”.
He thereafter asked for an order directing the defendant to pay him N2.5billion as damages.