Court arraigns two over defamatory comments on Oduduwa University

Two men have been charged to court for making some defamatory comments on a Nigerian Private university.

The suspects, Nelson Godwin and Adigun Sobowale were apprehended and arraigned in court by the Lagos State command of the Nigerian Police Force, NPF last Friday.

The two have been charged for allegedly making defamatory statements on a live broadcast studio against the institution.

Oduduwa University is a private higher education institution located in Ipetumodu, Osun state, Nigeria.

Godwin and Sobowale were arraigned at the Yaba Magistrates’ Court, presided over by Magistrate Patrick Nwaka on four counts of defamation and breach of peace.

The prosecutor, Thomas Nurudeen, told the court that the defendants made defamatory statements against the institution in a video on Youtube and a broadcast channel identified as WOTV.

According to him, the suspects accused the institution of killing people and collecting illegal tickets from students and lecturers – a charge to which the both defendants have pleased not guilty.

Nurudeen stated that they committed the crime on July 6 and 7, 2023, around 10 and 11am respectively, at the WO Ibile/WOTV office located at Gowon Estate, Egbeda, Lagos.

According to him, the crime committed contravenes and is punishable under Sections 516,373, 374(1) a b (2)(3) and 375 and 249(d) of the Criminal Code cap ‘C38’ Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004.

Meanwhile, defence counsel, Mr Omotosho and S.V Ogunbiyi prayed the court to grant the defendants bail in the most minimal terms.

The prosecuting counsel did not object this plea, leaving it to the disgression of the magistrate.

Magistrate Nwaka however, granted both Godwin and Sobowale conditional bail in the sum of N200,000 each while mandating both suspects to present two sureties in like sum.

Nwaka further adjourned the case till December 4, 2023, for mention.

Defamation is an offence punishable by law and by ethical standards, individuals and groups must be cautious of what they say about other people, institutions and organizations in public as this could land them in trouble.

Atiku withdraws case against Tinubu, files another in higher court

Meanwhile, presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Atiku Abubakar has filed a lawsuit against president Bola Ahmed Tinubu in a United States district court.

This was made known by the PDP presidential candidate’s special assistant on public communications, Phrank Shaibu in a recent statement.

According to him, the presidential candidate dragged President Bola Tinubu before the United States of America District Court for the Northern District of Illinois after withdrawing a similar case from a lower court.

Atiku who is challenging the declaration by the Independent National Electoral Commission that Tinubu won the poll, had filed a petition at a Circuit Court in Illinois, USA, argues that Tinubu’s academic records from primary school till university remained questionable, hence the President’s failure to identify a single former classmate of his.

According to the statement by his personal assistant, “Atiku Abubakar only withdrew the case before a Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois County, United States of America because he is pursuing the same matter in a higher court and he wanted to avoid abuse of court processes. So, this is just the beginning.”

The statement continued, “In the past weeks, Nigerians have been watching the ongoing ministerial screening at the Senate where nominees have been made to reveal their primary, secondary and university history. Some of the ministerial nominees were even classmates with the senators screening them.

“However, the man who nominated them has no educational history. He has no primary school, secondary school or university classmates. This is because he has no classmates. He actually fell from the sky.

“In recent years, past Presidents have invited their former classmates to Aso Rock Villa. Even President Muhammadu Buhari hosted his classmates from Katsina Middle School. But who did Bola Tinubu invite to the Presidential Villa? Governors from 1999 set.”