Army General Disowns Forfeited Properties, Threatens Legal Action
- Major-General Jafaru Mohammed has threatened to sue a national newspaper for a media report which mentioned his name concerning a court case
- The senior officer who currently works in the office of the NSA says his image was badly affected by the report
- The officer is now seeking redress and his lawyer has demanded a retraction and apology from the newspaper
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FCT, Abuja - Onyechi Ikpeazu, the lawyer to Major General Jafaru Mohammed has threatened to sue a national daily for its reportage of an Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) case indicting the senior officer.
The Army General currently works in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA).
Source: Facebook
Ikpeazu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) said Mohammed's image was damaged after the judgment of a Federal High Court was wrongly presented.
Justice Nkeonye Evelyn Maha delivered judgment in February after an ex-parte application by the EFCC.
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The anti-graft agency informed the court that the late General Aminu Maude and associates acquired N3billion assets from proceeds of unlawful activities.
The judge said:
“I observed that the name of General Jafaru Mohammed was never mentioned in the originating ex-parte application and the respondent (EFCC) did not rebut this fact.
“It is clear General Jafaru is not on trial here and the Court has not been asked to decide his guilt or innocence in this case.”
Ikpeazu noted that the newspaper in reference reported the verdict in a manner that painted Mohammed in a bad light.
In a letter to the Editor-in-Chief, the SAN said the story conveyed "unfounded information" that Muade, Atlasfield Integrated Services Nigeria Ltd, Marhaba Events Place, Aflac Plastics, and Atlasfield Gas Plant Ltd are proxies of his client.
He further said:
“This allegation is not contained in the judgment or the media releases issued by Wilson Uwujaren, the public relations officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
“This false publication has caused serious damage to our client's reputation and good name amongst his peers, family members, associates, and colleagues who accord him great respect and hold him in very high esteem.
“Your publication which is a faux pas is a bid to tarnish our client's image by creating a cheap media sensation linking a serving Military General with corruption.”
The legal practitioner demanded that a retraction and a letter of apology be published in at least 5 print media circulated nationwide and five renowned online media outfits including the newspaper.
Full list of N10.9bn properties EFCC seized from top military officer
The EFCC had on Monday, February 14, released a list of landed properties seized from an unnamed top military officer.
The list is contained in a press statement released by the anti-graft agency on Tuesday, February 15.
The list released by the anti-graft agency contained 24 landed assets valued at N10.9 billion.
EFCC arrests fake Army General who forged Buhari's signature for N270m grant
Meanwhile, the EFCC recently arrested one Bolarinwa Oluwasegun for posing as a General in the Nigerian Army.
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Command apprehended the fake General for an alleged N270 million fraud.
The suspect allegedly made false representations to a complainant that President Muhammadu Buhari had shortlisted him and to be appointed as the Chief of Army Staff.
Source: Legit.ng
