Benue Demands N5bn Damages, Apology Over ‘Defamatory’ Story on Gov
The Benue State government has demanded a retraction, an apology and N5billion as compensation from the publishers of New Telegraph, over a defamatory publication on the person of Governor Rev. Fr. Hyacinth Alia.
It may be recalled that the online edition of the New Telegraph had on Monday, December 11th, 2023, published a story with the caption ‘2027: Alia Joins Forces With Rotimi Amaechi – …Donates Lexus LX 600 SUV To Former Transportation Minister.’
In a petition filed to the publishers of the newspaper, the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Benue State, F.B. Mnyim, described the said publication as false and fabricated, insisting that it was done to demean the character of the governor and to paint him in bad light in the estimation of the citizens of Benue.
Mnyim added that the defamatory story has made the governor to appear as someone who is insensitive to the plights of the Benue people and party men who supported and voted him into office as the governor of Benue State on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC).
Also in a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Hycinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, and made available to The Nation on Thursday, he said, “The publication made available online portrayed the governor as unprofessional, unprincipled, unethical, and dishonorable, unreasonable and prejudiced public officer who is insensitive, indifferent, and apathetic to the plight of the Benue people and party men who supported and voted him into office as the governor of Benue State on the platform of All Progressive Congress (APC).”
According to him, it was done in total disregard for the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and is injurious to the person of the governor and the government of the state, especially as the governor is someone who is seen as a noble man of sound character, who commands respect in his spheres of influence, among the citizens of Benue State and the general public.
He called for the withdrawal of the publication, accompanied by a clear and unqualified apology published in the newspaper within the next 24 hours as well as N5billion as compensation for the injurious publication, of which failure to do so will attract a court action.
