Renowned public advocacy practitioner and activist, Ambassador Adebayo Lion Ogorry, has filed a N10 billion lawsuit against Sahara Reporters Ltd. and its publisher, Omoyele Sowore, in the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The suit, numbered FCT/HC/CV/4767/2025, accuses the defendants of publishing a false, malicious, and reckless article that violates Nigeria’s Constitution, the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015, and other laws protecting public discourse, national security, and public order.
The originating summons, filed on November 24, 2025, stems from a Sahara Reporters’ article titled “EXCLUSIVE: How Tinubu’s Defence Minister Matawalle Maintains Contact With Bandit Leaders, Ordered Them To Compel Communities To Vote For APC—Former Aide,” published on November 19, 2025.
In the suit, Ambassador Ogorry alleged that the publication contains grave, unfounded accusations against the Minister of State for Defence, Dr. Bello Matawalle, claiming he maintains illicit contacts with bandit leaders, orders communities to vote for the All Progressives Congress (APC), and engages in activities that undermine counter-terrorism efforts.
These claims, according to the suit, are not only false, but also fabricated to incite alarm, hatred, and ill-will, while endangering national security and public safety.
In his affidavit supporting the summons, Ambassador Ogorry, a Nigerian citizen and resident of Abuja with a long-standing commitment to public order and lawful civic discourse, emphasised that the article was disseminated widely across Sahara Reporters’ website, social media channels, X.com (Twitter) account, Facebook pages, WhatsApp broadcasts, and other platforms.
He described the publication as a blatant violation of Section 39(3)(a) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which prohibits speech that endangers public safety, national security, and public order.
It seeks an order directing the defendants to issue a public retraction of the publication and publish a full apology on their website and social media channels for 14 consecutive days and general and exemplary damages of ten billion naira for publication geared towards endangering public safety, national security, and public order.