Court grants Bulet’s request to stop defamatory statements

By Vivian Okejeme, Abuja

Justice Yinusa Halilu of the High Court of Justice of the Federal Capital Territory has granted a restraining order against a United States based online medium POINTBLANK NEWS and its Publisher, Mr. Jackson Ude, from further publishing a defamatory materials against a Nigerian businessman, Abubakar Ismaila Isa.
Other plaintif in the suit No: CV/1823/20 is an Abuja based indigenous construction company, BULET International Nigeria Limited, owned by former President of Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN), Malam Ismaila Isa Funtua.
Apart from Mr. Ude, alao joined in the suit as defendant is Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF).
The plaintiffs, through their counsel, , Chief Michael Andoakaa (SAN), had in a motion prayed the court to grant an order restraining the defendants from further defaming the them.
He told the court to grant the application in the interest of justice and also to preserve the res of the matter.
After listening to Counsel to the plaintiffs, the court restrained the defendants from further defaming the plaintiff.
”An interim injunction of this Honourable court restraining the defendants from further publishing defamatory statement(s) against the claimant pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice in this suit is hereby granted”, the court held.
The court further granted the application to serve the defendants the writ of summons and all other court processes through substituted means.
It also ordered pasting of the processes on a conspicuous space at last known address of the the defendants within the jurisdiction of the court.
The case has been adjourned to July 9, 2020 for hearing.
The Nigerian Young Professionals Forum (NYPF) had in a a letter addressed to the United States (US) Congress, Speaker Pelosi, Leader McConnell, Leader McCarthy and Leader Schumer, callied for a ‘Special Congressional Hearing, Investigation, Sanctions on Godwin Emefiele, Isa Funtua, Abba Kyari, Attorney General & Minister for Justice Abubakar Malami, Mamman Daura, Lawan Daura, Babagana Kingibe, Nasir Danu.’W
But the association last week disassociated itself from the purported letter written to the United States Congress by Mr. Jackson Ude, the US Coordinator of the NYPF.
According to the association, the letter was written without the approval of the Executive Board and Trustees of the organisation, which is the laid down protocol and procedure.