JOSEPH OLUBUNMI KAYODE OYEWOLE, J.C.A.(Delivering the Leading Judgment): This is an appeal against the decision of the High Court of Cross River State sitting in Calabar, delivered on the 23d June, 2014 by EDEM, J.
The appellants had taken out a writ of summons at the trial Court for action founded on libel against the Respondents wherein they claimed as follows:
1. The claimants claims against the 1st and 2nd Defendants is for the sum of (505, 000,000.00) Five hundred and five Million Naira only being damages for libel in that by a weekend Chronicles Newspaper publication dated 13/7/2012, titled "Two child traffickers nabbed in Bekwarra'' on front page published to the whole world. The Defendants maliciously and falsely published of and concerning the claimants the following words to wit:
"Security operatives in Bekwarra Local Government Area quizzed two men who specialized in child trafficking to Gabon and Cameroun. The men, whose names were given as Mr. Maurice Ekpong and Chief Bonif…