The acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, has taken the Sun Newspaper to court demanding a N5 billion naira compensation for alleged libel.
A statement by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, said that Ibrahim Magu was irked by alleged libellous imputations and statements made against him in a story published in the March 25, 2017 edition of the Saturday Sun.
“The publication was captioned: “Magu Under Fresh Probe over 2 Abuja Mansions.”
The EFCC spokesman said that Magu’s solicitor, Wahab Shittu, in a letter said that the authors of the story “willfully and maliciously made false, destructive, and defamatory statements” against him.
He said that the paper quoted unidentified sources.
Uwujaren said that the writers of the “offensive” report had maliciously alleged that Magu owned “two mansions on different streets in highbrow Maitama area of Abuja.
“This is a case which they could not substantiate, and which in fact was false, and nothing but the figments of their imaginations. Magu denied owning a property in Maitama.
The Sun said that it would inform its lawyers to examine the veracity of Magu’s case.
“There’s nothing I want to say about that other than that if there’s any letter from Mr. Magu, the company will invite its lawyers who will look at the issue,” Femi Babafemi, editor of Saturday Sun whose title was responsible for the story, told PREMIUM TIMES by telephone Friday afternoon.
When asked, specifically, if the newspaper stood by its report, Mr. Babafemi said: “I’ve just told you what I need to tell you.” [myad]
