Date Published: 06/24/09

Dangote drags National Life Newspapers to court ...Demands N1 billion compensation

Multi-billionaire industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has served Lagoon Press Limited, publishers of National LIFE Newspapers with a libel suit of N1 billion, alleging offensive publications against him.

In the suit dated June 2, 2009 and filed before a Lagos High Court in Ikeja, Dangote who also joined Mr. Louis Odion, Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of the newspapers, alleged that in the newspapers’ publication of May 30, 2009, it “maliciously printed and published concerning the him, a most disparaging publication captioned on its page 2.”

He averred that the said publication had his complete picture splashed over the full page with the words “Femi Otedola opens up the many sins of ‘Chemical Ali’ Aliko Dangote (et al)”, which was super-imposed on his photograph.

Dangote thus complained that by describing him as ‘Chemical Ali’, he was being equated with ‘Chemical Alli who was convicted of committing heinous crimes against his people” and that it also portrayed him as “an (sic) treacherous businessman, an unscrupulous person, a person who lives a wicked lifestyle and unfaithful to person(s) who help him to grow.”

In a 12-point statement of claim contained in his suit, harping on damages to his reputation, Dangote is making three main claims against the defendants, jointly and severally

He is asking the defendants to pay “N1 billion as damages for libel and/or injurious and/or malicious publication against the claimant occasioned by the offending publication…”

He also sought “an injunction restraining the defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, privies and otherwise howsoever from the publication or further publication of the same article or other similar words or articles defamatory to the claimant.”

He also craved for “further and other reliefs as the court may deem fit to make”, under the circumstance.

A statement of defence is due from National LIFE.