Defamation Case: Court Restrains Kwara Gov’s Aide From Defaming Saraki On Social Media, Asks IGP Egbetokun To Investigate Hacking Claims

Justice O.A Musa of the FCT High Court has restrained Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq’s Senior Special Assistant on New Media, Mr. Michael Fafoluyi, from defaming former Senate President, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki on social media.

Team@orientactualmags.com learned that the judge gave the restraining order while delivering ruling in an application filed in furtherance to a suit filed by Saraki against Fafoluyi, over alleged defamatory posts on his Facebook and Twitter (now X) handles in January last year.

 In the suit in question, Saraki is demanding the sum of N10 billion in damages for a defamatory publication by the defendant in which he had alleged that he (the former Senate President) sent hired assassins to murder Hon Mukhtar Shagaya, who was then the Ilorin West/Asa APC House of Representatives candidate.

Saraki had asked the court to, among others, restrain the defendant from further publication and circulation of the post titled: ‘Police Overpowers Saraki’s PDP assassins, Ojulari on attempt to kill the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency, Muktar Shagaya, at an APC rally in Ilorin’ submitting that the publication in question is defamatory and injurious to his person and reputation.

He therefore, prayed the court to direct the defendant, ‘to issue an unreserved public apology to him noting that, such an apology should be published in at least three (3) national newspapers widely circulated throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria and on the Defendant’s Facebook page.

The sum of N10 billion being general damage for the severe embarrassment, psychological trauma, and reputational loss occasioned by the defendant’s defamatory publication’.

Delivering his ruling yesterday, Justice Musa, submitted that, ‘The point I am struggling to make is that the claimant has met the requirement of the law as stated in the locus classicus cases on injunction …. In the light of the facts in support and against the Motion, I therefore hold that the motion has merit and ought to be granted in the following terms;

“The Defendant, Fafoluyi Olayinka Michael is hereby restrained by this Honourable Court whether by himself and/or by his agents, servants, any media house or online platform, privies or any other person or authority howsoever named or described from publishing circulating and or/disseminating the post titled ‘Police Overpowers Saraki’s PDP assassins, Ojulari on attempt to kill All Progressives Congress candidate for Ilorin West/Asa Federal Constituency, Muktar Shagaya at APC rally in Ilorin’ widely circulated on his X (formerly Twitter) page or any other post in which the Claimant was featured irrespective of its contents in obedience to lis pendis, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit’ he submitted.

The judge also ordered the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun PhD to investigate ‘hacking claims’, while adding that the outcome of the investigation should made available to all parties to the suit.

‘It is ordered in the name of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that the Inspector General of Police or the Officers in charge of cyber crime under his command and control cause an investigation into the alleged use of the Facebook account @FafoIuyi Olayinka Michael (Solace) by an unknown person claiming to be Fafoluyi Olayinka Michael (Solace) and take necessary investigative action forthwith.

It is further ordered that the outcome of the court-ordered investigation be served on all the parties in this suit. The Registrar of this court shall serve the Certified True Copy of this ruling together with the enrolled order on the Registry of the Inspector General of Police for compliance.

This suit is adjourned till February 10 and 11, 2025, for definite hearing. Hearing Notice to be served on witness on subpoena’ he added-Team@orientactualmags.com  Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980 or get in touch via orientactualmag@gmail.com.  Thank you