The group, which joined Omoyele Sowore and Kabiru Akingbolu as co-defendants, is praying the court to compel the defendants to jointly and severally pay Malami the sum of N2bn as compensation for the trauma, emotional stress and injury caused the AGF due to the alleged propaganda published in the online portal on July 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 18, 2020 editions of the media organisations.
In the suit for the enforcement of fundamental human rights brought pursuant to Section 34, 37 and 46 of the 1999 constitution and Articles of the African Charter of Human and Peoples Right, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/816/2020 and dated July 20, 2020, the group, which claimed to have instituted the court action on behalf of the AGF, is praying for an order of perpetual injunction restraining the respondents, either by themselves, agents, previews and correspondents and representatives, from further publishing articles or news items capable of causing trauma, emotional stress, damage or injury to the person of Abubakar Malami.
The group also applied for an order directing the four respondents to retract all the libelous publications made against the person of the AGF captioned ‘Nigeria’s Attorney General, Malami buys multimillion mansions for newly married son, guest flouts social distancing guidelines during lavished wedding ceremony’.
READ ALSO: Alleged defamation: Malami writes IGP, demands apology from Sahara Reporters publisher
The plaintiff also sought for another order of the court directing Sowore and Akingbolu to issue a well-worded public apology to Malami to be published on the platforms of the Sahara Reporters and Vanguard Media Limited and front pages of three newspapers of wide coverage in Nigeria for the libellous publications made against him within seven days from the date judgment is delivered in this matter.
In a 36-paragraph fact in support of the suit, instituted by Edward Omaga on behalf of the plaintiff, the civil group claimed to have been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and that it has the mandate to advance human rights and support the fight against corruption, terrorism, and economic sabotage.
The plaintiff averred that Sahara Reporters is an independent online news medium based in New York and Lagos and alleged that stories on its websites about corruption, human rights abuses, and political misconduct in Nigeria were baseless.
The group stated that Vanguard Media Limited, on its part, published a wide range of news items on its websites.
READ ALSO:Alleged defamation: Malami threatens court action against Sahara Reporters
It alleged that on 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, and 18th of July, 2020, Sowore and Akingbolu published series of prejudicial articles against Malami with the singular aim of disparaging his reputation before the right-thinking members of the society.
The plaintiff further stated that due to the trauma, emotional stress, and damage caused by Malami by Sowore and Akingbolu with the use of their news media, the AGF is entitled to monetary compensation and public apology for the unlawful violation of his fundamental rights.
The group, therefore, asked the court to declare that the publications by Sowore and Kabiru Akingbolu are tantamount to violation of Malami’s fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, private, and family life as well as integrity. It also asked the court to declare that the persistent propaganda, fake news, and blackmail against Malami by Sowore and Akingbolu were injurious to his character and lower his estimation in the eyes of right-thinking persons in the society.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
