Court Dismisses Libel Case Against Daily Independent Correspondent,Plaintiff Fails to Substantiate Claims.
By Our Correspondent.
A Minna High Court in Niger State has dismissed a libel case filed by NAF/4112F Flight Lieutenant J.O. Bamisaiye against the Daily Independent newspaper and its Niger State Correspondent.
The case was related to publications on April 1, 2022, and January 11, 2023.
Presiding over the case, Justice Maimuna Abubarkar issued the ruling on Monday, February 3, 2025, stating that the case lacked merit.
Justice Abubarkar noted that the allegations made in the Daily Independent were justified, as Bamisaiye, through her counsel, E.O. Egbonodje, failed to substantiate her claims.
The plaintiff had challenged the articles titled “Scandal Rocks Minna Airforce Base” and “Disquiet at Minna Airforce Base as Female Officer ‘Dismisses’ Junior Officer Over Alleged Failed Business Deal,” published on April 1, 2022, and January 11, 2023, respectively.
In her judgment, Justice Abubarkar remarked, “The case is dismissed because it has no merit; there was justification in the allegations as published by the Daily Independent Newspaper.
The Plaintiff could not prove that there were no such allegations of immoral acts and victimization of junior officers in the two publications.”
Moreover, Justice Abubarkar indicated that the plaintiff could not substantiate alleged rape claims against one Eucharia, a former girlfriend of a defendant, Deekae, who was included in the suit.
Counsel for the defendants (Daily Independent Newspaper, Chinwendu Nnadozie, and Deekae Sunday Kiaka), Eleleri S. Otahagwa, praised Justice Abubarkar’s ruling, stating, “It is justice well served.”
