Alleged N4bn from Magu: Osinbajo writes IGP, demands probe of US based publisher

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has demanded the probe of Jackson Ude, who is the publisher of an online medium, Point Blank News.

In a petition written to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, the vice-president said Ude was in the habit of publishing malicious articles against his person.

The Vice-President said Jackson recently authored a story in which he stated that the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, who is facing a Presidential probe, told the investigative panel that he gave N4bn to Osinbajo.

Osinbajo said the articles were defamatory and targetted at bringing him to ridicule before members of the public.

He called on the IG to probe Ude with a view to prosecuting him for criminal defamation.

Osinbajo said Ude also likened him to alleged international fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, by calling him ‘Hush-bajo’.

The petition dated July 8, 2020, and titled, ‘Criminal Defamation of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), GCON by Jackson Ude’ read in part;

“These vicious and malicious publications are meant to achieve one objective only, to present to his readership and others (Nigerians and foreigners) that our client is a dishonest and disloyal public officer and consequently unfit for the position of Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he is occupying.

“We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the said Mr. Jackson Ude, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamatory of our client’s reputation.

“In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations made against our client to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Sections 391-395 of the Penal Code Act for criminal defamation against the said Jackson Ude.”

Reacting to the petition, Ude, who is based in the United States, said Osinbajo should resign before instituting legal proceedings against him.

“I am not afraid of Osinbajo and his minions. If he indeed wants to go to court, he needs to resign first and sue me. He cannot be VP and be using state resources to intimidate the judiciary. He cannot wave immunity that he didn’t confer on himself. Osinbajo should resign first,” Ude wrote on Twitter.