From: Femi Oyelola in Kaduna
Two online media platforms, Mega News Nigeria and IvoryNG, have tendered public apologies and withdrawn a controversial publication that falsely linked prominent Abuja-based businesswoman, Dr Halimat Adenike Tejuosho, to a purported arrest by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over an alleged appointment and contract scam.
The platforms made the retraction following a formal legal notice issued by Dr Tejuosho’s legal representatives, Law Corridor, demanding a full apology, retraction, and N100 million in damages from five online publications over what was described as a “malicious and defamatory” report aimed at damaging her reputation.
In a letter dated June 27, 2025, Mega News Nigeria admitted that its story titled “Abuja Socialite, Halimat Tejuosho in EFCC Custody for Alleged
Appointment and Contract Scam” may have conveyed misleading impressions.
The platform acknowledged receipt of the complaint and disclosed that the article had been taken down, while a formal clarification and apology would be published.
“We deeply regret any inconvenience or misinterpretation that may have arisen,” the editor-in-chief, Ola David, wrote in the letter to Dr Tejuosho’s lawyers, adding that the incident had prompted a review of the platform’s editorial process to strengthen its verification standards.
Similarly, IvoryNG also published a retraction on June 27, admitting that its earlier report on Dr Tejuosho was unfounded and defamatory.
