Jibrin demands N1bn damages over alleged £1.5m UK bank account

Few hours after the resolution of the House of Representatives to probe the budget padding scandal and corruption campaign against the Speaker of the House of Representatives and other principal officers, Abdulmumin Jibrin, the ousted chairman House Committee on Appropriations vowed not to honour the invitation of the House Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
According to Emmanuel Orker-Jev, chairman House Committee on Rules and Business, sponsor of the motion against Jibrin, if found guilty, the ex-chairman of the Appropriations Committee is to be suspended for six months.
Rather, Jibrin proceeded to institute a suit in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, against two lawyers behind the report on £1.5 million in a United Kingdom bank allegedly owned by Jibrin.
Jibrin had previously denied the allegations, saying it was the handwork of Speaker Dogara and his hatchet men.
In the writ of summon served on the defendants, Messrs. Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere and Ifeanyi Okonkwo, the lawmaker said: “the statements in newspaper publications titled ‘Jibrin owns £1.558million in UK bank, NYCN alleges’ implicitly and/or expressly procured, authorized, and or caused to be published by the Defendants against the Plaintiff in page 11 of the PUNCH Newspaper of Monday the 19th day of September 2016 Vol.40 No.21,270 are false, malicious, without legal justification, and are defamatory/libellous of the reputation and character of the Plaintiff to the general public.”
Jibrin therefore sought: “An order compelling the Defendants to publish in 5 National Dailies an unconditional, detailed apology, and full page retraction of, the statements in newspaper publications titled “Jibrin owns £1.558millon in UK bank, NYCN alleges” implicitly and/or expressly procured, authorized, and or caused to be published by the Defendants against the Plaintiff in page 11 of the PUNCH Newspaper of Monday the 19th day of September 2016 Vol.40 No.21,270 .
“An order compelling the Defendants, jointly and/or severally, to pay the Plaintiff the sum of N1.0billion as general damages for the Defendants defamation/libel of the Plaintiff under the circumstances of this Suit.
“An order compelling the Defendants, jointly and/or severally, to pay the Plaintiff the sum of N1.0billion only to the Plaintiff, as exemplary and/or aggravated damages under the circumstances of this Suit.
“An order compelling the Defendants, jointly and/or severally, to pay the Plaintiff post Judgment interest on Prayers 3 and 4 above at 10% from the day Judgment is delivered to the date the Judgment sums are fully and finally paid by the Defendants.
“An order compelling the Defendants, jointly and/or severally, to pay the Plaintiff cost of this Suit estimated at N20million,” the order said.