Ogun businessman, Ibrahim Dende slams N5.10b suit on Arise TV, online platform over smuggling/gun running reports

Ogun state-born businessman, Alhaji Ibrahim Dende Egungbohun, has filed a defamation lawsuit against Arise Media Group (the owner of Arise Television), journalist Fisayos Soyombo, and his online platform, Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), over allegations of being labelled a smuggler and gun runner in their reports.

Egungbohun, in the suit, marked: CV/2286/24, filed before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) by his Bola Aidi (SAN) faulted the alleged offending reports by Soyombo, FIJ, and Arise TV, portraying him as a smuggler and a gun runner.

In a statement of claim, the claimant stated that, in a series of publications by Soyombo and FIJ (listed as the first and second defendants), through their online platform and micro-blogging site, X (formerly Twitter) he was described as the biggest smuggler and gun runner in the South West region of the country.

Egungbohun, who described himself as a diligent and successful businessman, with friends in high places, accused Soyombo and FIJ of also claiming that he was involved in smuggling guns and bullets to the South Eastern part of the country.

He accused Arise Media Group of airing the said defamatory reports on its “Morning Show” programme.

The claimant said his “hard work, integrity, dedication, and tenacity has given him business goodwill among well-meaning Nigerians and has enabled him to establish business and personal relationships with top Nigerian businessmen and politicians including Nigerian President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, incumbent Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Dapo Abiodun, amongst several others.”

He stated that “on or about 23rd February 2024, the third defendant (Arise Media Group) aired the 1st defendant’s (Soyombo’s) defamatory documentary on its Arise TV’s “The Morning Show,” hosted by Ojy Okpe, wherein the claimant (Egungbohun) was described as ‘a notorious smuggler,’ ‘Ilaro’s biggest smuggler,’ ‘that the claimant has been arrested severally for smuggling, but averted prosecution due to his closeness to power,’ ‘that IBD International Hotels in Ilaro, belonging to the claimant, is well known to have been built with proceeds of smuggling,’ ‘that the claimant smuggles guns.’

“Indeed, the unjustified denigration and defamation of the claimant were compounded by Rufai Oseni, one of the anchors on the programme, when he said ‘…look at the kind of people we praise in our society, look at what that report said about him… we live in a society where thieves are celebrated.’

Egungbohun added: “From the daily consistency and persistence of the first and second defendants to defame the claimant via their X handle/page @fisayosoyombo and @fignigeria, it became obvious that the first and second defendants were cyberstalking the claimant and were all out to totally damage and assassinate the character of the claimant.”

He stated that he is not a political appointee nor occupying any office in any of the arms of government to influence government appointments.

The claimant accused the first defendant (Soyombo) of exploiting his goodwill with the President of Nigeria to make baseless, unsubstantiated, and defamatory statements against him to put him in a bad light among the populace and his acquaintances.

He added: “It is clear from the documentary published by the first and third defendants (Soyombo a d Arise), wherein pictures of the claimant were predominantly featured alongside the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, that the first and third defendants are utilizing propaganda to not only malign, discredit and run aground the reputation, goodwill and businesses of the claimant built over the years, but also to blackmail the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an accomplice to the alleged criminality.

“The said malicious and unverified documentary aired on the third defendant’s Arise TV’s ‘The Morning Show’ hosted by Ojy Okpe was transmitted and circulated to national and international audiences and community, insinuating that the claimant is a gun runner and notorious criminal.”

He is praying the court for among others, an order restraining the defendants from engaging in further publications.

The claimant wants the court to award N5 billion to him as general damages and another N10 million as the cost of the litigation against the defendants.

Egungbohun equally wants the court to hold that he was defamed, and to issue an order to compel the defendants to retract the libelous statements and tender an apology to him through their various platforms.

A date is yet to be fixed for the hearing of the case. (The  Nation)