Allison-Madueke Secures ₦500m Damages Against Producers Of Documentary Against Her

 

 A Bayelsa State High Court, presided over by Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, has awarded N500 million to former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, as damages for defamation against the producers and director of the documentary "Is It Your Money."   

 Mrs Allison- Madueke in suit no: BYHC/YHC/CV/180/2024 had earlier dragged the defendants, Chude Jideonwo, Judith Audu, Eromo Egbejule, YNIIJA Limited, and Capital Film Productions Limited to court, praying for ₦ 5 billion damages for the documentary.

She had sought the leave of the Court for an order directing the defendants to retract the libelous publications and tender an unreserved apology to be published in three national newspapers in Nigeria, and a daily paper widely circulating in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively.  

 Mrs Allison- Madueke had also prayed the Court to grant an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants or anybody associated with them in any capacity from further publishing any part of the documentary.  

 She also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants and anybody associated with them from airing any part or whole of the documentary.

 Mrs Allison- Madueke, through her counsel, Andrew Seweniowor Arthur, argued that the contents of the documentary have gravely injured and maligned her reputation.

But Justice Ebiyerin Omukoro, in his ruling at the weekend said the failure of the defendants to appear in Court to defend the publication of the defamatory video leaves him with no other  option but to conclude that they have no defence.

The judgement reads:" The defendants have unlawfully and maliciously engaged in extrajudicial media trial and conviction of the claimant without affording her the opportunity to be heard first or tried by a Court of law.

" This, in my view, is sufficient to warrant not only the grant by the Court of the 1st relief for a declaration as to libel against the defendants but in fact all other reliefs, including relief 2 for aggravated, punitive, and exemplary damages. 

" I agree that the social stature of the claimant herein is that of a global citizen by virtue of her erstwhile position as OPEC President, three times minister, and as Executive Director of Shell Petroleum Development Company Ltd, but I shall nevertheless reduce the quantum of damages awardable to her under relief 2 from ₦ 5,000,000,000(Five Billion Naira sought to ₦500,000,000(Five Hundred Million Naira).’’