The Seat of Wisdom Law Firm has written the Management of Rutam Press Limited, publishers of "The Guardian" Newspaper to retract an alleged offensive report and apologize to her client or face legal action.
The report revolves around Mr. Darlinghton Nnamdi Ijeh, the law firm's client.
The letter, signed by Mr. A. O. Odum SAN, reads in part: “Our Client has informed us that on the 15th of February 2025, at approximately 3:25 AM, a defamatory publication was made by you in The Guardian Newspaper against Our Client, titled: “Ambassador Accuses Delta Commissioner of Alleged Land Grabbing” authored by Mr. Monday Osayande.
“In the defamatory article circulated on the internet and published by Guardian Newspaper Limited on behalf of Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka, it was alleged that our Client was unlawfully attempting to dispossess Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka of his land and had remained incommunicado.
“Our Client has brought it to our attention that this medium should be used to set the record straight concerning the land transaction between our Client and Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka. Sometime in 2012, Our Client purchased a parcel of land measuring approximately 3 acres, situated at Umuodaukwu, Umuodafe family land, Ibusa, sharing a boundary with the International Airport and adjacent to the Benin-Onitsha Expressway, Ibusa, down to lbusa hinterland in Oshimili North Local Government Area. The land was acquired from Mr. Kenneth Okonji, a registered surveyor from Umuodafe Quarters, Ibusa.
“Mr. Kenneth Okonji acquired the said land as consideration for the layout and perimeter survey he conducted for the Umuodaukwu Umuodafe Village,Ibusa. Upon purchase, our client was put in possession of the land by Mr. Kenneth Okonji. Thereafter, Our Client commenced the process of applying for a grant of Statutory Right of Occupancy over the land.
“By a Certificate of Occupancy No. DTSR 17398, registered as No. 14 at Page 14 in Volume CO.238 at the Lands Registry Office in Asaba, the Delta State Government granted a Statutory Right of Occupancy to our client over the land, measuring 987.568 square meters, as delineated in Survey Plan No. BJ/DT/Q2/236/2012 attached to the Certificate of Occupancy, for 99 years commencing from April 11, 2013.
A copy of the Certificate of Occupancy and Statutory Right of Occupancy is attached herewith as Annexure 1. Following this approval, Our Client erected a perimeter concrete wall fence with two iron gates and security gatehouses.
“On December 9, 2019, Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka approached our Client seeking to purchase a portion of the land measuring approximately 4 plots (50 feet by 100 feet each). The agreed price was N4, 000,000.00 (Four Million Naira) per plot, totaling N16, 000,000.00 (Sixteen Million Naira). A Deed of Conveyance was duly executed between Our Client and Mr. Maduka for the sale. A copy of the Deed of Conveyance is attached herewith as Annexure 2.
"Payment of the land was made in installments. Based on an oral agreement to secure the land for Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka from being encroached by trespassers and the close relationship that has existed between the parties, Our Client used his personal resources to delineate the land, conduct a survey, and erect a wall fence with a gate to protect Mr. Maduka's property from trespassers. However, Mr. Maduka has failed to reimburse Our Client for the expenses incurred, as per their agreement. “Our client further informed us that, the land covered by Certificate of Occupancy No. DTSR 17398 was subject to a Supreme Court judgment in favor of the Umuodafe community against the Okpanam people. Following this judgment, the Umuodafe community required all landowners in the lbusa axis to rectify their titles.
"Our Client repeatedly informed Mr. Maduka of the need to rectify his title with the community. However, he ignored all communications until the Umuodafe family attempted to reclaim the land due to his failure to rectify his title.
“Our Client has never attempted to unlawfully dispossess Mr. Ebele Jude Maduka of his land, nor has he made any attempt to seize property lawfully sold. Your publication falsely alleged otherwise and was intended to damage Our Clients reputation.
“You are aware that Our Client is the Commissioner for Culture and Tourism and a member of the Delta State Executive Council. Your defamatory publication was clearly designed to incite the public against Our Client by portraying him as a dishonest, unprincipled, and uncultured public servant. “As a direct consequence of your publication, political figures and associates have distanced themselves from our Client, causing severe reputational damage. Our Prayers-In light of the foregoing, we demand that:
“Immediate retraction and deletion of the defamatory publication in the same medium and prominence as the original publication.
“Issuance of a written apology to our Client, published in The Guardian Newspaper and circulated online.
“You cease and desist from further defamatory statements regarding Our Client.
“You compensate our Client the sum of N500, 000 (Five Hundred Thousand Naira) for the reputational damage suffered.
"Failure to comply with these demands within Seven (7) days of this letter will leave our client with no option but to pursue legal action to seek redress. This serves as our final notice.”
The leading newspaper entity is yet to respond to the law firm's demands.
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