Atiku Sues Buhari’s Aide Lauretta Onochie For N2.5 Billion Over ‘Libelous Tweet’ Against Him

A former Nigerian vice-president, Atiku Abubakar, has sued President Muhammadu Buhari’s Special Assistant on social media, Lauretta Onochie, over an alleged libel and defamation of character.

KanyiDaily recalls that Atiku had threatened to sue Onochie over an alleged libelous tweet she posted on her Twitter handle on May 7, 2019.

In the tweet, Onochie had suggested that Atiku was on the watch list of security operatives in the United Arab Emirates and had traveled to shop for terrorists in the Middle East.

Atiku had also demanded an apology, retraction and payment of N500m compensation from Onochie “to assuage” the damage allegedly caused him by her social media post.

However, in his statement of claim, Atiku stated that rather than show “remorse by retracting her earlier publication”, the presidential aide on May 20 further made “another derogatory publication and also published same globally online in the social and other print media” against his person.

He denied the allegations contained in the said publication which he described as “a figment of the imagination of the defendant”, but said it portrayed him “as an evil man, mentor of terrorists, someone who has links with terrorists, and a person who is interested in destabilising the peace and unity of Nigeria”

“The publication also portrayed the claimant as a security threat and terrorist to right thinking members of the public and the society at large,” the former Vice-President added.

He noted that “the odious publication has clearly rubbished the claimant’s image and reputation. It has caused him national and international backlash and embarrassment and has done incalculable damage to him.