OKUNOLA, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the judgment of the High Court of Kaduna State holden at Kaduna in suit No. KDH/KAD/36/90 delivered by Yahaya J. on 19/7/91 in which judgment was entered for the plaintiff/respondent in the sum of ₦750,000.00 as general damages.
The facts of this case briefly put were as follows:
The respondent as plaintiff instituted an action against the appellant as defendant at Kaduna High Court claiming the sum of ₦2m (Two million Naira) as damages for libel alleged to have been published by the defendant/appellant in the Nigerian Tribune, Newspaper of 19/10/89 in a story headed "Ciroma Benefitted from Societe Generale Shares". Pleadings was filed and exchanged between the parties. The respondent however denied that he did not plea any innuendo and referred to paragraph 6 of his Statement of Claim as a plea of innuendo. Respondent further contended that there was no evidence that the alleged/published story was originall…