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Osinbajo asks IG to probe blogger over N4bn Magu report

Published

4 years ago

July 9, 2020

Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has written a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, demanding the probe of a blogger, Jackson Ude, who is also the publisher of an online medium, Point Blank News.

The petition dated July 8, 2020, is titled, ‘Criminal Defamation of the Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), GCON by Jackson Ude’..

In the petition written on his behalf by his lawyer, Bayo Osipitan, the Vice-President said Jackson authored a story in which it was alleged that the suspended acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Ibrahim Magu, who is facing a Presidential probe, told the investigative panel that he gave N4bn to Osinbajo.

The Vice-President said Ude was in the habit of publishing malicious articles against his person. He subsequently attached printed copies of some of the blogger’s reports to the petition.

Osinbajo said the articles were defamatory and capable of bringing him to ridicule before members of the public.

He called on the IG to probe the blogger with a view to prosecuting him for criminal defamation.

Osinbajo said Ude also likened him to alleged international fraudster, Ramon Abbas aka Hushpuppi, by calling him ‘Hush-bajo’.

The petition read in part, “These vicious and malicious publications are meant to achieve one objective only, to present to his readership and others (Nigerians and foreigners) that our client is a dishonest and disloyal public officer and consequently unfit for the position of Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he is occupying.

“We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the said Mr. Jackson Ude, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamatory of our client’s reputation.

“In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations made against our client to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Sections 391-395 of the Penal Code Act for criminal defamation against the said Jackson Ude.”

Checks by The PUNCH on Thursday showed that Ude, who is based in the United States, continued to tweet about Osinbajo and his alleged role in the EFCC.

He tweeted, “I am not afraid of Osinbajo and his minions. If he indeed wants to go to court, he needs to resign first and sue me. He cannot be VP and be using state resources to intimidate the judiciary. He cannot wave immunity that he didn’t confer on himself. Osinbajo should resign first.”