December 14, (THEWILL) – The Benue State Government has demanded a retraction, an apology and N5 billion as compensation from the Publishers of New Telegraph Newspaper over a defamatory publication on the person of the Governor, Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
New Telegraph had on Monday, December 11, 2023, in its online edition, published a story with the caption ‘2027: Alia Joins Forces With Rotimi Amaechi …Donates Lexus LX 600 SUV to former Transportation Minister.’
In a correspondence to the publisher of the newspaper, Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Benue State, Barr. Fidelis Mnyim, described the said publication as false and fabricated, insisting that it was done to demean the character of the Governor and to paint him as someone using state funds to offer gratification and compensation for personal favours.
According to Mnyim, the defamatory story has made the Governor appear as someone insensitive to the plight of the Benue people and party men who supported and voted him into office as the Governor of Benue State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
“The publication made available online portrayed our client as an unprofessional, unprincipled, unethical, dishonourable, unreasonable and prejudiced public officer who is insensitive, indifferent, and apathetic to the plight of the Benue people and party men who supported and voted him into office as the Governor of Benue State on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC).
“The said publication was with a clear intent and motive to vilify, malign, denigrate, disparage and defame our client and portray him in bad light in the eyes of reasonable members of the public, especially to incite the Benue people, members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the general public against our client.
“The publication was made in an invidious, unpleasant, insidious, sinister and treacherous manner and it has inflicted and caused grievous pains, shock, anguish, psychological torture and trauma, humiliation, degradation, dishonour, embarrassment and dehumanization of our client, and reviling and holding our client up to public obloquy, lowering him in the estimation of the public, and exposing him to disgrace, dishonour and contempt.
“It was done in total disregard for the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and is injurious to the person of the Governor and the government of the state, especially as the Governor is someone who is seen as a nobleman of sound character, who commands respect in his spheres of influence, among the citizens of Benue State and the general public,” he said.
A statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, in Makurdi on Thursday, quotes the Attorney General as calling for the withdrawal of the publication, accompanied by a clear and unqualified apology published in the newspaper within the next 24 hours as well as N5 billion as compensation for the injurious publication, of which failure to do so will attract a court action.
“On account of the foregoing, our client has instructed us to request and or demand, and we do hereby perfect those instructions, that: You withdraw the offensive publication forthwith accompanied by a clear and unqualified apology to be published conspicuously in the next issue of your publication; you pay compensation to our client in the total sum of N5 billion, only for the damage caused to our client’s reputation, integrity and character; and you are to act within 24 hours of the receipt of this letter.
“Take notice that if our client’s demands herein are not addressed, resolved or fulfilled within the time prescribed, our client shall be at liberty to seek redress in a court of law, in accordance with the remedies outlined above, without further recourse to you,” the statement added.
