DEFAMATION: Jude Obiora Ezeobi Sues Kubwa Express, Felix Ashimole For ₦1 Billion
Legal practitioner Jude Obiora Ezeobi has filed a ₦1 billion defamation lawsuit against Kubwa Express, an online news platform, and its publisher, Felix Chukwuma Ashimole, following a defamatory publication concerning the burial of his late ex-wife, Ulonna Inyama. The case was filed at the FCT High Court on September 9, 2024.
Background of the Case
Ezeobi reported that as he was preparing for the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference on August 21, 2024, he was inundated with calls and messages regarding a damaging publication by Kubwa Express. The publication falsely accused him of creating a WhatsApp group to solicit financial support for the burial of his ex-wife from friends and colleagues, labelling it a fraudulent act.
The defamatory claims were widely circulated, including in a WhatsApp group for legal practitioners called “The Law Centre,” which has over 500 members. The 2nd defendant, Ashimole, allegedly played a key role in disseminating the false information both on the Kubwa Express platform and through various social media channels.
Ezeobi confronted Ashimole, but according to the claimant, Ashimole refused to retract the false allegations but rather threatened Ezeobi further. As a result, Ezeobi petitioned the Nigeria Police attaching screenshots of the WhatsApp messages and conversations related to the defamatory statements by the defendants.
Retraction and Apology
On August 30, 2024, following a meeting brokered by a mutual friend, Kubwa Express issued a retraction and apology. The corrigendum, published both on the Kubwa Express website and in Daily Trust newspaper, acknowledged that the initial story was factually incorrect. It admitted that neither Ezeobi nor his associates had created a WhatsApp group or solicited funds for the burial.
Click here to read>>>>>>> Corrigendum and Retraction
The retraction stated:
“Contrary to our publication as informed by family sources in Ulonna’s extended compound, there was no Condolence WhatsApp Group set up by Mr. Jude Ezeobi nor any of his friends as claimed by the author of the publication. Furthermore, it was revealed that Mr. Jude Obiora Ezeobi has never solicited for or asked anyone to solicit for funds towards the burial of his ex-wife Ulonna Inyama nor for any other purpose whatsoever.”
Despite the retraction, Ezeobi has proceeded to file a defamation suit, citing Ashimole”s refusal to pull down the utterly false defamatory publications from its KubwaExpress platform and the severe reputational damage the publication had caused.
JUDE OBIORA EZEOBI SUE KUBWA EXPRESS FOR ONE BILLION NAIRA…
Legal Claims
Ezeobi is seeking the following reliefs from the court:
1. ₦1 billion in damages against both defendants for libel.
2. A perpetual injunction preventing the defendants from publishing further defamatory content.
3. A public apology published on Kubwa Express and two other widely circulated media platforms, both online and in print.
4. Any other reliefs the court deems appropriate given the aggravated nature of the case.
Defendant’s Response
When contacted by The Metro Lawyer (TML), Ashimole confirmed the details of the case but stated that he had yet to be served with court papers. He expressed readiness to defend himself, claiming that the family of the late Ulonna Inyama, who initially provided him with the story, still stands by their original allegations.
The case is expected to draw significant attention as it unfolds in court, given its implications for media responsibility and the reputational harm caused by false publications.
