Prof. Zainab-Duke Abiola, widow of the late politician and businessman, Chief Moshood Kashimawo Abiola, has slammed a N100-billion defamation suit against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Usman Alkali Baba and three others.
Other defendants in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja are: the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Ibrahim (who the plaintiff described as IGP Alkali’s son) and her former orderly, Teju Moses.
Mrs. Abiola stated that the defendants jointly made false and defamatory publications against her, claiming, among others, that she assaulted Miss Moses, who was then her police orderly.
The plaintiff added that she suffered and was still suffering from the damaging effect of alleged false and defamatory publications made by the defendants against her.
She claimed, in her court documents, that she was “framed up by Ibrahim, who happens to be the adopted son of the IG, in a bid to cover up some monumental bribery and corruption in the Nigeria Police, perpetrated by the son of the IG”.
Mrs. Abiola averred that the defendants caused her to be abducted in a Gestapo style from her Abuja home “during unholy hours of the night in a night gown” and subjected her to torture.
The plaintiff added that the manner she was treated by the defendants was not only derogatory and amounted to the abrogation of her rights and esteem personality, it also caused her great pain and suffering.
She faulted the police for not investigating the claims of assault by her orderly before parading her as a criminal before reporters.
Mrs. Abiola, who said she was engaged by the NPF as its Chief Legal Consultant (CLC), alleged that “the malicious intention of the defendants was to defame and blackmail the plaintiff into silence and not spill the beans on the massive corruption going on under IG Usman Alkali”, among others.
She accused the IGP of not being truthful in his statement when he “published grievous, malicious falsehood” in which he stated that “Professor Zainab has no acquaintance with the police in any form”.
But the plaintiff claimed to have an office in Louis Edet House police headquarters in Abuja by virtue of her position as the CLC Chief Legal to the NPF.
She prayed the court to order the defendants to tender a public apology to her, which must be published in electronic, print and social media.
The plaintiff also prayed the court to direct the defendants to pay her N100 billion as damages for alleged defamation, harassment, trauma, humiliation and public embarrassment she suffered; and N100 million as general damages, in addition to another N100 million cost of litigation.
The suit has been scheduled for February 28 for hearing.
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