Former Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Theophilus Danjuma (retd.), don sue renowned cleric, Pastor Paul Rika of Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide for N1 billion for defamation. Danjuma, through his lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN), give Pastor Rika seven days to withdraw the defamatory statements wey dey inside his book titled “God’s Message To Kuteb Tribe And Indigenes Of Taraba State”.
Danjuma say his attention was drawn to the book by some of his mentees who buy and read the book. He complain about some pages of the book wey he say impugn his character, ridicule him among his friends, and jeopardise his business both nationally and internationally.
The letter from Danjuma’s lawyers read, “Our client’s attention was drawn to a Book titled: “God’s Message to Kuteb Tribe and Indigenes of Taraba State” (the Book), written by Pastor Paul Rika and published by HOREMOW Printing Press, which was availed to him through some of his mentees who had purchased the book and read it.” The letter also mention say the contents of the book particularly at several pages impugn Danjuma’s good reputation, demonize him, and portray him as a wicked, mischievous, evil, and anti-democratic person.
Danjuma say the statements inside the book were reckless, ill-advised, and highly defamatory of him without any respect for his hard-earned reputation in Taraba and Nigeria at large. He add say the defamatory statements cause him great discomfort, embarrassment, and annoyance, and lower him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public who read the book.
The lawyers say remedies being sought include the defendant to within 90 days print, publish, and distribute a second edition of the book and apologise to Danjuma for all the “false statements published of and concerning him in the first edition.” They also demand general damages in the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 for the defamatory statements published of and concerning the claimant on those pages and as an option for settlement within seven days.
Danjuma also want the respondent to submit a written undertaking that within 90 days of the date of the undertaking, he “will print, publish, and distribute a second edition of the book retracting all those libelous statements.”
