Deji Adeyanju, an Abuja based socio-political activist has sued online activist Japheth Omojuwa for defamation to the tune of N50 million. The case which was filed at the Abuja High Court on Thursday is expected to be assigned to a trial judge on Friday 22nd May, 2015.
According to sources, there had been an online ‘fight’ between the duo which was traced back to May 2014.
It was gathered that Adeyanju began the ‘fight’ when he alleged that Omojuwa was arrested and jailed in Germany between 2013 and 2014, an allegation Omojuwa denied.
In his defence, he said he had been lecturing at the Freie University in Germany from September 2013 to February 2014 and “represented Nigeria and Africa well.”
The clash took another turn however when Omojuwa made an allegation of his own. He disclosed that he had received information from a source he did not name but who he said was a celebrated Nigerian author, that Adeyanju had been expelled from the Bayero University in Kano, where he was studying English following a case of murder.
Omojuwa alleged that Adeyanju was an assassin who was caught after an operation on one Mohammed Knight. He alleged that Adeyanju spent some time behind bars before he was released by his godfathers.
He said: “As an awaiting trial prisoner, Adeyanju converted to Islam and changed names. He has since re-converted to Christianity. He is also known as Charles (Umar when he converted to Islam).”
Adeyanju, in his response, admitted that he had indeed spent some time in prison but it was because of a false allegation for which he was duly discharged and acquitted.
Considering how much traction the allegation by Omojuwa gained, Adeyanju decided to charge the blogger to court on defamation charges.
In a suit filed by Adeyanju’s lawyers, Gbenga Oguniran & Co.,the Plaintiff is seeking the sum of N50million as damages from Omojuwa when he referred to Adeyanju as a “criminal, member of an assassination gang, Federal Government Assassin, an Ex-Convict, a person who will avoid punishment for any crime with the help of his godfathers, a cultists, and a Killer.”
Adeyanju is also seeking for damages over Omojuwa’s allegations that he was the person who fired the shot that killed someone in Kano; that he is a member of the President Goodluck Jonathan’s killer squad as alleged by Obasanjo; that he is a blackmailed and someone not morally upright and that he planned to kill Omojuwa.”
Adeyanju said that he is sure of “getting justice before the court.”
