Defamation: AVM Monday Morgan threatens to drag Benue South APC chairman, Pinot Ogbaji to court

A former Chief of Defence Intelligence, AVM Monday Morgan Riku (Rtd), has threatened to drag Bishop Pinot Ogbaji, the Zone C Zonal Chairman of the All Progressives Congress in Benue State to court over alleged defamation.

Ogbaji was quoted to have in a statement called for the arrest of Morgan for allegedly instigating ethnic war in Benue State

In the said statement, Ogbaji reportedly described Morgan, who doubles as President of Benue Rebirth Movement as “a person of questionable character, a thief who stole or diverted to his personal use, money in the sum of N14m meant for repairs of his community road as well as a very serious security threat fanning the embers of ethnic violence, intolerance and insecurity in Benue state.”

However, in a action notion sent to Ogbaji from Shareef Mohammed & Co., on behalf of Morgan, the ex-military asked the APC starwart to withdraw his statement and tender unreserved apology.

The notice signed by Shareef Mohammed Esq.,

Head of Practice, gave Ogbaji 14 days to do the needful or he would commence “very unpalatable civil and criminal proceedings against him,” and the online platforms where the statement were published.

The notice reads below.

SHAREEF MOHAMMED & CO BN 2150603

In Association with AB ANACHEBE, ESQ., SAN

Barristers & Solicitors

No. 63, Lome Crescent,

Wuse Zone 7, Abuja

E-mail: [email protected]

08054024262

16th August, 2023

To, Bishop Pinot Ogbaji,

No. 2, Dzeryongo Afella Close,

Off Benson Abounu Street,

Nyiman Layout, Makurdi,

Benue State.

Dear Sir,

NOTICE OF DEFAMATION OF CHARACTER OF THE PERSON OF

AIR VICE MARSHALL MONDAY RIKU MORGAN (RTD)

- DEMAND LETTER FOR RETRACTION, APOLOGY AND ATONEMENT

1. We are consulted Solicitors to Air Vice Marshall Monday Riku Morgan(Rtd), a former Chief of Defence Intelligence for the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (hereinafter called “Our Client”) and who has referred to us, your subject sponsored defamatory and malicious publication against his person, integrity, service record and tall standing with clear instructions to deal.

2. Our client informed us that you sponsored through a purported press statement and caused same to be published and circulated within and outside Nigeria in the August 5th 2023 edition of an On – Line News outfit known as ”The Campaign Pilot” (just being drawn to his attention by inundated calls and visits from family members/relations, friends, associates, colleagues etc), a damning front page defamatory and malicious publication of his person under a sarcastic headline thus: “BENUE APC CALL FOR ARREST OF MONDAY MORGAN”

3. In the said publication derived from your purported press statement, you placed him (our client) in your personal individual or subjective imaginary scale and adjudged him to be; a person of questionable character, a thief who stole or diverted to his personal use, money in the sum of N14m meant for repairs of his community road as well as a very serious security threat fanning the embers of ethnic violence, intolerance and insecurity in Benue state.

4. In branding our clients as such, you were reportedly quoted by the said on – Line Campaign Pilot News outfit in its front page story alleging in the purported press statement you issued to Press men thus:

“The Benue All Progressive Congress, APC has called for the arrest of former chief of Defence Intelligence, Air vice Marshall Monday Riku Morgan for instigating ethnic war in Benue State”.

“The Zonal chairman of the party, Bishop Pinot Ogbaji in a statement made available to newsmen said Morgan who is the President of the Benue Rebirth Movement championed an agitation for a zone C Governor of Benue in 2023”.

“Surprisingly, Morgan was the first Idoma Man to endorse the PDP Governorship candidate in Benue, RT. Hon. Titus Uba who later lost the Governorship election to the APC candidate, Rev. Father Hyacinth Alia”

“It is wrong for a highly placed person like Morgan to draw the sword of ethnic crisis which may result to war; Ogbaji said”

“While calling on the Inspector General of Police and Director General of State Security Service to immediately arrest Morgan for interrogation, he said having served as chief of Defence Intelligence in the country, Morgan was capable and currently causing problem that is affecting the peace of the state”.

“Ogbaji alleged that the same Morgan absconded with donations from illustrious sons & daughters of the Idoma/Igede meant for repairs of a portion of the Otukpo Federal Road that was abandoned by the then PDP Government who awarded it to Rock Bridge construction company Ltd”.

“As we speak, over N14 million donated to his account is unaccounted for as the road was not repaired and no one dare ask him for fear of the unknown”.

“Monday Morgan has submitted his personal list of appointments to the State Governor, Rev. Fr. Dr. Hyacinth Alia including caretaker committee

Chairman of his Local Government, thereby using the media to intimidate the governor to buy into his plot”.

“If you see the caliber of people from the zone who attend the courtesy call on the secretary to the Govt. of the Federal, Sen. George Akume, it is clear that Benue APC is united & are under the leadership of our own son, the state chairman, comrade Austin Agaba with Sen. Akume as the supreme leader”.

“The entire zone C, minus Audu Ogbeh was there, Morgan is not a member of our party and we do not know him. At this level, he is busy looking for security Adviser to the Governor in Benue, he want to reap where he do not sow” Ogbaji said”.

5. From the on-set, our client has instructed us to completely deny and we do hereby so deny every material allegation of facts contained in your purported press statement quoted in the aforesaid Campaign Pilot On – Line News outfit of 5th August 2023 and put you to the strictest proof thereof.

6. Saved for your intentional mischief, a little adherence to your calling as a clergy man would have persuaded you to the contrary in the glaring face of our client’s unequal track records of service as an accomplished Air Force officer of note whose service record stood him very tall, like Shakespeare would say, “among the grove, the straightest plant” in the annals of the Nigerian Air Force.

7. For instance, you would have discovered first that our client to begin with, was not just an ordinary Air force officer cum Pilot but a renowned combat/fighter Pilot, a qualified Flying Instructor , a fellow of the prestigious War College – National Defence College, award winner of the 2016 Man of the year for good Governance and leadership whose cumulative strides resulted in his appointment as the Chief of Defence Intelligence for the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and under whose stewardship, the technical defeat of the dreaded Boko Haram Terrorist group was achieved among several others.

8. By the same token, you will also have found out that aside from the above our client all through his 35 years of active service as an Air force officer, he had never been found wanting and he retired from service unblemished or flawless.

9. By your said publication and disregards for your journalism ethical requirements of fairness, objectivity, respect for the truth, regard for public interest and detachment from subjective interest, our client who has made (and is still making) indelible contributions and enviable name in his service career has been severely injured and his hard – earned reputation of impeccable integrity with unblemished service record has been severely battered in the estimation of the public particularly his family, friends, associates, colleagues in service and the general public to whom you have portrayed him as an irresponsible, corrupt retired Air officer fanning the embers of ethnic crisis in his State.

10. In consideration of the said infraction, our client has also instructed us to demand and we hereby so demand for your immediate retraction of the said libelous publication published in the 5th August 2023 edition of the On – Line Campaign Pilot News outfit as a result of your press statement and to further assuage our client’s impugned reputation, publish unreserved apologies in at least five On – Line News outfits within 14 days of receipt of this letter and a monetary atonement in the sum of N1, 000,000,000 (one billion naira only)

TAKE NOTICE that in the most unlikely event of your throwing caution to the wind by refusing and/or neglecting to comply with our simple demands afore-listed within the said 14 days from the date hereof, we shall in consonance with our standing instructions, commence very unpalatable civil and criminal proceedings against you and your On – Line Campaign News Outfit without any further recourse to you for your subject scandalous and unwarranted publication.

Very truly,

Shareef Mohammed Esq.,

Head of Practice