Terseer Ugbor, A Nigerian federal lawmaker representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency, has initiated a defamation lawsuit seeking N1 billion against Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia. The suit, filed on Friday at the Benue State High Court in Makurdi, also names the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, and media aide Isaac Uzaan as defendants.
Ugbor is requesting the court to issue an order requiring Governor Alia and his aides to remove all defamatory posts about him from their social media accounts. He also demands a public apology to be published in at least five national newspapers and on various social media platforms. Furthermore, he seeks a perpetual injunction to prevent the defendants from making further defamatory statements about him.
In his statement of claim, Ugbor detailed his efforts to assist victims of herdsmen attacks in Kwande Local Government Area by requesting palliatives from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) on several occasions. Following NEMA’s approval of relief materials, which Ugbor organized to transport from Jos to Makurdi for distribution, he claims the governor intervened by impounding the vehicle carrying the items.
“Alia impounded the vehicle transporting the relief items,” Ugbor alleged, noting that Uzaan subsequently posted a defamatory article on Facebook, accusing him of diverting relief materials. He cited another post from Kula, which made similar accusations and a video statement from Governor Alia branding him a “dishonourable member” for allegedly diverting aid meant for internally displaced persons (IDPs).
In addition to the N1 billion in damages, Ugbor seeks further reliefs from the court. A hearing date for the suit has not yet been established.
