ABUJA -: The Senator who represented Adamawa North in the Ninth Assembly, Elisha Abbo, has moved against TrustTV News, over a viral video depicting the former lawmaker in a sexual relationship with an unknown female.
In a letter from his lawyers, M.J Nurma & Partners LLP, titled, “Your False And Malicious Defamatory Statements,” Senator Abbo alleged that the media house expressly “accused him of sexual exploitation, publishing and distribution of intimate videos, proliferation of revenge porn and blackmail.”
He said that “These videos have not only caused significant reputational damage to our Client, but are also misleading to the public.”
The former Lawmaker therefore insisted that the ‘erring’ medium must “within 72 hours of receipt of this letter cause to be published/aired; on national TV, three (3) National Newspapers, an unequivocal public retraction and apology in terms to be approved by our firm; and in this regard we expect you to revert to us within 24hrs of receipt of this letter.
You shall also be expected to circulate the retraction and apology on the same platforms wherein your interviews were circulated.”
M.J Nurma & Partners LLP in the Cease And Desist Letter warned of litigations if conditions put forward by Senator Abbo are not met by his alleged offenders.
Part of the letter read; “We write upon the express instructions of Sen. Elisha Ishaku Abbo, former Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, representing Adamawa North Senatorial District (hereinafter referred to as “Our Client”).
CIRCULATED
“Our Client has been-made aware of a series of videos published on social media and online media platforms to đeliberately and maliciously malign his person.
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“Particularly, video-published on the 4th Day September, 2024 on “Naija PoliceU” and an interview granted to TrustTV News which was published via their YouTube platform on the 5th day of September, 2024.
“These videos have not only caused significant reputational damage to our Client, but are also misleading to the public.
“The statements and claims made in these videos are factually incorrect and have resulted in unnecessary harm to Our Client’s personal and professional reputation.
“We have been instructed by Our Client to make a demand, and we hereby formally demand that you, within 72 hours of receipt of this letter cause to be published/aired; on national TV, three (3) National Newspapers, an unequivocal public retraction and apology in terms to be approved by our firm; and in this regard we expect you to revert to us within 24hrs of receipt of this letter.
“You shall also be expected to circulate the retraction and apology on the same platforms wherein your interviews were circulated.
“SAVE AND EXCEPT we receive a satisfactory reply from you within the timelines as stipulated above, our instructions are to commence legal proceedings against you, without further recourse to you, for the following claims:
“DAMAGES, including exemplary and aggravated damages, for libel contained in your defamatory interview.
“INJUNCTION against yoU restraining further or similar publications.
M.J Numa & Partners LLP
AN ORDER for retraction of the defamatory words and a public apology in the terms and manner to be stipulated by us and published/aired on National TV and three (3) National Dailies.”
