According to the News
Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the head media and publicity of the EFCC, Wilson
Uwujaren, on Thursday, March 30, said Magu had written to the publishers of the
story seeking the compensation for “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," Uwujaren said.
The acting chairman of the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, is demanding N5
billion naira compensation from the publisher of the Sun newspaper over a story
he termed libellous.
The spokesperson for the
anti-graft agency noted that the legal counsel to Magu in the letter stated
that the authors of the story – Fred Itua, James Ojo and Lawrene Enyoghasu, “wilfully
and maliciously made false, destructive, and defamatory statements” against
him.
Uwujaren explained 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.
According to the statement,
Magu further reiterated that “neither he nor his wife owns any property in
Maitama.
The EFCC spokesperson noted
that in addition to the demand for N5 billion compensation, Magu has charged
the publishers to issue a public apology and immediate retraction in writing of
the libelous statements”, within the next seven days. ”Failure of which, “legal
remedies including monetary damages, injunctive reliefs, and an order that you
pay necessary costs including solicitor’s fees for your defamation”, will be
taken.
It added that the
publishers are also to provide “written assurance within seven days, that they
would cease and desist from further defamation” of Magu’s name, integrity, and
reputation.
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