The Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, has filed a lawsuit against two prominent northern journalists, Shu’aibu Mungadi and Tijjani Ramalan, alleging defamation and malicious reporting.
In the suit, marked K/M2102/2024 and dated October 25, Matawalle is demanding ₦10 billion in general damages from each of the six defendants, including Vision Media Services Ltd, Vision FM, Farin Wata Television, and Liberty Radio and TV. He also seeks 10% post-judgment interest on the entire sum until full payment.
The minister’s affidavit, sworn by his personal assistant, Alhaji Masudu Abdulkadir, claims the journalists, through their media platforms, accused him of being a sponsor of banditry. The affidavit states that these allegations were made on multiple channels, programmes, and online platforms between January 2024 and the present, portraying Matawalle in a negative light across Nigeria’s North-West and beyond.
Allegations and Legal Action
The affidavit reads:
“The plaintiff was the Chief Security Officer and Governor of Zamfara State for four years, during which he vigorously tackled insecurity. However, the defendants, through their programmes and platforms, have repeatedly aired, broadcast, and posted defamatory statements accusing him of sponsoring banditry and kidnapping in Zamfara and other North-West states.”
Matawalle contends that unless restrained, the defendants will continue to harm his reputation. He has sought an interlocutory injunction from Justice Musa Ahmad of Kano State High Court, Bichi Division, to prevent further publication or broadcasting of defamatory material pending the determination of the case.
Reliefs Sought
Through his counsel, Umar Said of Umar and Umar Chambers, Matawalle is requesting:
– A declaration that the defendants’ statements constitute defamation.
– A perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and their associates from further defamatory acts.
– A court order directing the defendants to issue a written apology and retract the defamatory statements, to be published in two widely circulated newspapers.
The court has set December 12, 2024, for the hearing of the case.
Background Context
The lawsuit follows mounting pressure on Matawalle from various quarters. Recently, the Akida Forum, a group within the All Progressives Congress (APC), called for an investigation into the minister’s alleged ties to banditry in the North-West.
Protesters at the Department of State Services headquarters demanded an independent inquiry, echoing similar calls from Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal. Governor Lawal has urged Matawalle to resign and clear his name, claiming he had reported the minister to both the National Security Adviser and President Bola Tinubu, providing them with evidence.
Matawalle has consistently denied the allegations, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.