Nigeria: Alleged Defamation - Buhari's Nephew, Sabiu Tunde, Demands N5 Billion From TV Guest

Gavel.
10 February 2023

In the letter by Wole Olanipekun & Co, Mr Yusuf (Sabiu Tunde) described the allegations by Mr Hassan as fictitious and deliberately erroneous.

President Muhammadu Buhari's nephew, Sabiu Yusuf (Tunde), has written the Convener of North-South Progressives Alliance, Alwan Hassan, demanding Five Billion Naira (N5,000,000,000:00) for damages he said "a defamatory comment" recently made by Mr Hassan caused him.

The alleged defamatory remarks were made by Mr Hassan during the Monday 6 February 2023 edition of Channels Television's breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily. The remarks were also published by Channels Television on its website.

In the letter written on his behalf by his counsel, Bode Olanipekun (SAN), from the law firm of Wole Olanipekun & Co, Mr Yusuf (Sabiu Tunde) denied the allegations levelled against him in the said broadcast.

He described the claims made by Mr Hassan as "made-up, concocted, fabricated, fictitious and deliberately erroneous" and thereafter demanded "an unequivocal retraction of all allegations published by Channels about him in the course of the referenced offensive telecast."

Mr Yusuf (Sabiu Tunde) is also demanding a public apology to him by Mr Hassan to be issued through the same channels through which the initial 'defamatory' remarks were published. That is in addition to the payment of five billion naira "as damages for the injury caused to our client by your said defamatory publications."

Mr Yusuf's attorneys warned that if Mr Hassan failed to comply with these demands within 21 days after receipt of their letter, Mr Yusuf would resort to all means legally permissible under various applicable laws which the accused (Hassan) is subject, "to municipally and globally seek the appropriate redress relating to the unwarranted attacks on his person and ascription of derogatory falsehood to his character" by Mr Hassan.

The counsel stated that the legal letter serves as both a warning and request for Mr Hassan to desist from making any further defamatory remark about Mr Yusuf.

Read the full text of the letter from Mr Yusuf (Sabiu Tunde) to Mr Hassan below:

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