The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, has warned the media, including the traditional, online and social media, against what he termed “libellous publications” on the 21-storey building that collapsed in Ikoyi area of Lagos State.
The warning comes against the backdrop of a story by SaharaReporters linking Osinbajo to the ownership of the building.
The warning by the country’s Number 2 man was contained in a letter by Lagos State-based lawyer, Ebun-Oluwa Adegboruwa.
The letter was addressed to: “All Media Houses, Journalists, Online Publishers, Bloggers, WhatsApp and other Social Media Group Leaders, etc.”
It reads in full:
Dear Sirs/Mas,
LIBELOUS PUBLICATIONS OF AND CONCERNING HIS EXCELLENCY, PROF YEMI OSINBAJO, SAN, GCON, CONCERNING COLLAPSED IKOYI BUILDING
We are solicitors to His Excellency, the Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, GCON (‘our Client’), on whose instruction we write, in respect of the above subject matter. We have the mandate of our Client to draw your esteemed attention to certain publications of and concerning him, in respect of the 21-storey building that recently collapsed in Ikoyi, Lagos State.
These publications, believed to have been sponsored by faceless individuals and entities to tarnish the good name and reputation of our Client, claim most spuriously, that our Client is connected with the said building, one way or the other, without any scintilla of proof. For the records, our Client is not involved in, associated or connected with the ownership or development of the collapsed building, in any manner whatsoever.
This notice has thus become necessary, partly to explain the legal consequences of fabricating falsehood and unsubstantiated negative reports, of and concerning our Client. In law, liability for libelous publications is not limited to the original author or publisher thereof, but it also extends to and includes all those who, out of sheer ignorance, mischief or malice, or all, cause any libelous publication to be repeated, reposted or re-published, either personally or through any platform for which he/she has control.
Accordingly, we have the instructions of our Client to compile and preserve the particulars of anyone found to have published, re-published or endorsed or consented to the publication, distribution or circulation of any libelous material, of and concerning him, for the purpose of commencing civil actions in court, in any jurisdiction where such publication occurs.
We therefore implore you not to yield your noble platforms for the dissemination of any libelous publication of and concerning our Client, henceforth.
