Dangote threatens Kaduna businessman with N100bn lawsuit

President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to Kaduna-based businessman Kailani Mohammed, demanding a public retraction and apology over allegedly defamatory statements, warning that failure to comply will trigger a N100bn libel suit.

The demand was conveyed in a letter dated December 20, 2025, authored by Dangote’s lawyer, Ogwu Onoja (SAN), and served on Mohammed.

The letter accused Mohammed of making “false, reckless and malicious” statements questioning Dangote’s source of wealth and alleging involvement in “unclean business” activities in Port Harcourt during the 1980s.

The disputed remarks were reportedly made by Mohammed during a TrustTV News interview aired on December 17, 2025, while reacting to a petition involving the former Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Farouk Ahmed, submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.

Titled “Demand for public explanation, retraction and unreserved public apology on your libellous publication against Alhaji Aliko Dangote”, the letter stated that the comments had gravely damaged Dangote’s reputation both locally and internationally.

“Our client is a widely reputable international businessman, the richest black man on earth, and the owner of the largest business conglomerate in Africa. Through hard work, integrity, diligence and perseverance, he has earned the reputation and honour by which he is known globally,” the letter read.

Dangote’s legal team described the statements attributed to Mohammed as “false, scandalous and deliberately calculated to expose our client to public hatred, ridicule and odium,” adding that they portrayed him as corrupt, monopolistic, and vindictive.

The letter specifically quoted Mohammed as saying:

“Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 80s when he was in Port Harcourt? Who is clean? Every time you want to monopolise, you bring allegations against people.”

Dangote categorically denied ever conducting any business or wealth-generating activity in Port Harcourt in the 1980s—or at any other time—describing the allegations as “entirely fictitious, unfounded and malicious.”

He demanded that Mohammed, within seven days of receiving the letter, publicly clarify on TrustTV when, where, and in what capacity Dangote was allegedly involved in any unlawful or questionable activity in Port Harcourt.

In the absence of verifiable evidence, Mohammed was asked to retract the statements in full, issue a comprehensive public apology with equal prominence to the original broadcast, and pay N100bn in damages for reputational harm.

Dangote also demanded a written undertaking from Mohammed to desist from making or publishing further defamatory statements.

The letter warned that failure to comply within the stipulated period would compel Dangote to initiate legal proceedings in a competent court, including claims for aggravated damages, and to report the matter to law enforcement agencies for possible criminal defamation action.