This is not the best time for Sahara Reporters, an online media platform; its publisher, Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters Media Foundation as Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministries (MFM) has slammed them a N10 billion lawsuit over a series of false, malicious and defamatory publications against the ministry and Dr. Daniel K. Olukoya, its General Overseer.
In the Suit No HU/250/2018 pending before the High Court of Akwa Ibom State, Uyo Judicial Division, the Claimants are praying the court for sundry relief, including the sum of N10 billion as exemplary damages, a written apology/retraction to be published in Sahara Reporters online platform, three nationally circulating newspapers and two internationally circulating magazines, one of which must be the TIME International.
The Nation Newspapers reported that MFM also wants the court to direct Sahara Reporters to pull down and erase from the world-wide-web each of the offending stories published from 2013 to June 30, this year.
In addition, the Claimants are seeking perpetual injunction restraining the defendants by themselves, their agents, servants, privies or other persons however called or described from further publishing and disseminating libelous stories and statements against the Claimants or any of them.
The Claimant’s counsel, Ime Asanga, said the ministry was constrained to take legal action following the actions of Sowore and his co-defendants in refusing to desist from publishing “false and malicious articles” against the MFM over the stated period.
Asanga also stated that the defendants turned down the opportunity for a peaceful resolution when they failed to take advantage of a seven-day window offered them to retract the offending publications.
Originating processes in the suit were said to have been served on the Defendants by substituted means pursuant to the order of the court by posting on the gate of their premises at 13B, Isaac John Street, Ikeja GRA, Lagos, popularly known as The Media Lab.
