The Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA Resource Centre) has accepted the judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which dismissed the libel suit filed by its chairman, Olanrewaju Suraju, against former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Bello Adoke, over allegations linked to the OPL 245 case.

Justice Babangida Hassan held that Suraju failed to establish the essential elements of defamation.
The court held that the petition Adoke submitted to the Inspector General of Police, which gave rise to the libel suit, did not mention Suraju by name and therefore could not constitute libel.

The court further ruled that Suraju’s reliance on a Premium Times webpage and other exhibits lacked evidentiary weight, stressing that sending a petition to law enforcement is a lawful act and cannot, in itself, amount to defamation.

The absence of critical proof, including the disputed email, was deemed fatal to the claimant’s case, the court held.

In the case, Adoke, in his defence, argued that no prima facie case of defamation had been made against him.

The court agreed with him, noting that there was no evidence of publication to a third party, a key requirement in defamation claims.
The suit was accordingly dismissed without costs.

However, HEDA, in a statement signed by its chairman, Suraju, described the ruling as “no victory for Adoke,” emphasising that the court did not validate Adoke’s claims of forgery.

According to the group, Adoke had attempted to persuade the Nigerian Police that an email and a recording linked to the OPL 245 proceedings were forged, despite claims that the email had been confirmed by the London Metropolitan Police.

The organisation pledged to continue defending its integrity and to pursue all lawful avenues in the public interest.