Borno Slams N2bn Libel Suit Against Ex-Commissioner, National Trail

SAN FRANCISCO, July 13, (THEWILL) – A N2bn suit has been filed by the Borno State Government against a former Commissioner for Information in the state , Mr. Inuwa Bwala and an Abuja-based newspaper, National Trail, in which Bwala has a major interest.
Bwala, a renowned journalist, was sacked from the Kashim Shettima’s cabinet about three months ago.

The Borno Government accused the ex-commissioner of defaming its reputation, that of its officials, alleging that he attempted to unjustly incite the public against the government and thereby breach the public peace.

Disclosing the development in a statement, the spokesman to the governor, Mallam Isa Gusau, said : “The G‎overnment is also seeking a court injunction restraining both Inuwa Bwala and National Trail either by themselves, agents , servant privies or anybody acting on their behalf, from further publishing any malicious publication against the Borno State Government, any of its establishments or its officials pending the hearing and final determination of the suit subjudice before the court among other reliefs sought by the plaintiff.
“The action was filed pursuant to relevant rules of Borno State High Court 2014.”

According to the statement, ‎a private legal firm contracted by the State Government has written to Bwala and National Trail, demanding that an apology be published on the front page of subsequent edition of the paper which must also be aired on an international network breakfast show of the African Independent Television which allegedly reviewed the libelous publication in its newspaper headlines of Monday, June 30 at about 8am and also in five national newspapers within seven days.
The Borno Government warned that failure to do all these, it will move on with the suit for a claim of two billion naira as damages from Bwala and National Trail.

“In a letter dated July 2, 2014, addressed and dispatched last week to the two defendants, through a registered postal service, principal counsel in the legal firm, Barrister Hussaini Hala, said sacking of Mr. Bwala by the Borno State Government clearly influenced his paper’s bias and complete fabrication of falsehoods with highly malicious headlines, titled “Operatives Trail Borno’s Looted Billions; Shettima Moves to Save Investigation, Gov’s Cronies Fingered in Corruption and Terror Financing; Alleged Sex Scandals, Drugs Rock Cabinet” splashed on the front page and page 4 of National Trail weekly, edition of Monday June 30 –Sunday, July 6, 2014, Vol 002, No 0043,” Gusau further said in the statement.

The statement disclosed further Bwala and his newspaper had been given one week to respond to the letter with publicised apology otherwise “procedures will be immediately followed to file dispatch document used in sending him the demand letter in order to proceed with litigation against him and his newspaper in a court of law so he could provide in controvertible evidence to proof the published allegations.”

“The Government’s counsel had last week obtained a search report from the Corporate Affairs Commission which confirmed that Trail Publications Limited (publishers of the Newspapers) with registration number 99652169 and head office in Abuja; has four directors that include Bwala Inuwa, Ndahi Sanusi, Mamman Idris and Amanzah Yusuf while the company has five million share capital. Based on the report, the State Government joined Bwala as principal actor in the suit proceedings,” the statement added.