The Delta State High Court in Effurun has ordered Nigerian blogger Linda Ikeji to pay N30 million in general damages over a defamatory publication against Africa’s Neo-Black Movement (NBM).
Presiding judge Justice Roli Daibo-Harriman delivered the verdict on Monday, while imposing an additional N300,000 in litigation costs against Ikeji.
The court’s decision mandates Ikeji to retract the defamatory publication from her blog and refrain from making any further detrimental publications against the Claimants or members of the NBM of Africa.
Reacting to the judgment, Ikeji’s legal representative, Agbroko, emphasized the importance of verifying information before publication. He stated, “This will serve as a lesson to bloggers that it is not every item you publish. It is good to verify information before making a publication.”
The lawsuit was brought against Ikeji by the Registered Trustees of NBM of Africa, including Ese Kakor, Felix Kupa, and Mayor Onyebueke, after she allegedly referred to the organization as a “terrible cult group,” “black axe,” and “criminal organization” in a blog post on October 19, 2021.
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Agbroko further asserted, “NBM of Africa is a legal organization duly registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).” He expressed confidence in the court’s ruling, stating, “It was an erudite judgment that is all-encompassing and will be difficult to fault.”
The judgment underscores the importance of responsible journalism and the potential consequences of publishing defamatory content without proper verification.
