Popular Nollywood actress, Iyabo Ojo has taken legal action against her colleague, Yomi Fabiyi, and has demanded N100m as payment for damages caused by his ‘defamatory publication’.
WITHIN NIGERIA had earlier reported that, Fabiyi staged a protest demanding the bail and release of Baba Ijesha who has been held by the police for allegedly molesting a minor.
In a letter written by Ojo’s lawyers, The Maverick Forte Legal, it was said that during Fabiyi’s protest defamatory statements were inscribed on placards some of which read, “Nigeria Police please allow the law to dictate to you not Iyabo Ojo, Princess and co. Please release Baba Ijesha.”
Another read, “Iyabo Ojo and Princess promised to kill Baba Ijesha if released on bail in this era??”
Ojo, through her lawyers, denied making any statement to kill Baba Ijesha or unlawfully interfering with the statutory responsibilities of the Nigeria Police Force.
The letter read in part, “Take further notice that consequent upon your false, odious, malicious, vexatious and ludicrous statement and publication against our client which were broadcasted through your Instagram handle, viewed by a huge number of people and further published by several online blogs and newspaper outlets stemming from your orchestrated scheme that has so far damaged our client’s hard-earned reputation, vilify her integrity, rubbish her professional career as a businesswoman, entertainer and artiste, and more so caused our clients children grievous trauma and anxiety since the publication of your defamatory statement.
“It is expedient to state that your defamatory publication has lowered our client’s estimation in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society. Our client has equally suffered huge stigmatisation by business partners, mental agony, restlessness, public scorn, emotional distress, professional indignation, intense psychological trauma, vilification and financial losses by the sudden withdrawal of business patronage by clients and customers.”
Ojo’s lawyers further demanded that within 14 days, Fabiyi “publishes a full retraction of the said defamatory publication on his Instagram handle for seven consecutive days and acknowledge that the allegations are false, misleading and entirely defamatory of client’s character.”
They added that the retraction and public apology must further be circulated and published by select media outlets.
The letter also demanded that Fabiyi “ceases and desists from making further, additional or fresh defamatory publications against our client on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and on any other social media, social messaging blog and/or print media outlets.
“Also, N100m must be paid as damages for the unjustifiable injury and losses occasioned by our client caused by your defamatory publication.”
Furthermore, they warned that failure to comply with the demands within 14 days would result in an initiation of legal proceedings without delay.
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