Respected member of the inner bar and fiery constitutional lawyer, Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) on Thursday served a notice on Sahara Reporters and one Mr Israel Olayiwola of his intention to proceed against them in court over alleged defamatory publication against him.
Olayiwola had authored an article in Sahara Reporters to attack Chief Ozekhome (SAN) for joining other Nigerians to run a commentary considered critical on the on-going probe of former acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu.
In the write-up published by Sahara Reporters, Olayiwola had alleged that Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) wanted Magu dead for more reasons than one.
Ozekhome said that in an attempt by Olayiwola to justify his unfounded defamatory conclusion against him listed some of his alleged past activities to falsely assert that he had no moral right to condemn corruption in the country.
But in a 1,308-worded warning letter by his counsel, Benson Igbanoi addressed to both Olayiwola and Sahara Reporters, the learned silk who first took his time to summarise his life trajectory to establish his integrity, denied each of the allegations made to attack his reputation and controverted each of his alleged past activities alluded to in the report while demanding an immediate and full retraction of the entire publication which he said was predicated on false claims and wilfully done to destroy all his reputation which he had struggled to build for years.
He is also demanding an unreserved public apology published on the same official social media platforms and all other channels, platforms or links through which the alleged highly libelous and malicious publications were published and circulated.
“This letter is a clear warning to give you an opportunity to accept the Olive branch extended to you by our client, whose feelings, name, character, dignity and reputation have been gravely and deeply injured by your reckless and ill-intentioned publications. A word is enough for the wise. To say more at this stage will be otiose,” the letter said.
He consequently threatened to proceed against the duo in court if after seven days, both of them failed to withdraw the said publication with unreserved apology tendered.
“TAKE NOTICE that in the event that our client is thus compelled to approach the court for redress, we shall be claiming from you and the above mentioned entity and persons, reliefs that will, in addition to the above accommodating demands, include aggravated, punitive and exemplary damages in the sum of N5 billion only.
