Firm seeks N20b damages over false allegations

Oil firm, Matrix Energy and its Chief Executive Officer, Abdulkadir Adisa Aliu, have approached a High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, seeking N20 billion over what they described as libelous allegations and publications against them.

In a suit, through their counsel, Dr Ahmed Raji (SAN), the claimants are praying the court for an order restraining two media houses from further publishing libelous reports against them.

Also joined in the matter with suit numbers CV/3718/2024 and CV/3719/2024 are the authors of the reports, Olalekan Fakoyejo and Abubakar Ibrahim.

According to Dr Raji, the two media houses were said to have accused the claimants of importing low-grade fuel from Malta into the country.

The claimants are seeking N10 billion each as damages from the two media companies and an additional N200 million each as the cost of filing the suit.

The claimants are praying the court to declare that the publication made by the defendants on August 17, 2024, is false, malicious, libelous and defamatory.

“An order of court compelling the defendants to forthwith delete or cause to be deleted the defamatory words contained in their publications,” the claimants prayed, asking the defendants to retract the story and tender unreserved apology.