*Demands apology, retraction, N1bn compensation
The General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, has threatened to sue two bloggers: Daybreak.ng and Environmentreporters.com, for publishing alleged defamatory information against his person.
Uwugiaren, in two separate letters addressed to the Editor-in-chief of the respective online media organisations, specifically gave Daybreak.ng and Environmentreporters.com, seven days to apologize and retract the offensive publications or face legal action.
Besides, the General Secretary in the letters dated January 23, 2025 and signed by his lawyer, Mr Fidel Bassey, is demanding the sum of N500 million from each of the media houses as compensation for damages suffered as a result of the defamatory publication.
Daybreak.ng and Environmentreporters.com were said to have harmed the reputation of the General Secretary by publishing a Press Release captioned: Beyond the drum of Iyobosa’s undemocratic demonic rantings… ”
“In carrying and publishing this defamatory statement and its content on your online platform, you informed your large followers/readers that our client is “a self-acclaimed Editor and Journalist without credibility in the Nigerian media environment, who is also surrounded with a lot of baggages”, Bassey pointed out.
“By this description of our client which is false, malicious and defamatory, you have painted a very dark and negative picture of our client before your large followers/readers”, he added.
The lawyer informed the two online publications that contrary to their malicious publication, Uwugiaren has an unblemished record in the Nigerian media space as a seasoned journalist with over 35 years of experience and has held several key positions in various media outlet where he had worked and is currently the General Secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, a reputable institution championing the course of Journalism in Nigeria.
Bassey also pointed out that the two offensive publications contained multiple unverifiable allegations against his client including that “he is hiding behind the Guild of Editors to project his relevance. He uses such platforms to harass, intimidate unsuspecting people that have refused to bow to his demonic yearnings. In fact, recently Iyobosa Uwugiaren failed woefully and shamelessly in his bid to impose his crony to get elected as Chairman of the NUJ FCT chapter. Till date, he is unable to respond to allegations levied against him by a former Chairman of NUJ FCT chapter”.
In addition, he said the two publications also contained several false allegations against the General Secretary which was targeted at tarnishing his image and unblemished record in journalism.
“Our client views the unprovoked attack using your platform as worrisome as it was expected of you to have verified the content of your press release before its publication.
“While the publication accuses our client of unprofessionalism in the practice of his journalism, your publication of these allegations without verifying same exposes you and speaks volumes on the purport of you establishing a media platform.
“The entire publication was a vicious, wicked and reckless ploy to impugn the reputation of our client and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public. While you are free to exercise the right to freedom of expression under the Constitution, you are to ensure that you analyse and ascertain what you publish or disseminate is credible, factual, plausible and certainly not created in falsehood to specifically injure others.
“We, therefore, demand immediate retraction of the offensive and derogatory publication in all the platforms it has been disseminated and apology prominently published in four editions of national dailies.
“We also demand damages in the sum of N500,000,000 (Five Hundred Million Naira) in favour of our client.
“Be advised that if we do not receive your formal retraction and apology and damages as demanded within 24 (twenty-four) hours of receipt hereof, we shall proceed with our client’s instructions to seek appropriate legal remedies for your publication and dissemination of defamatory statements”, the letter read in part.
