BA' ABA, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The plaintiff, now respondent took out a writ of summons in the High Court of the defunct Bendel State now Delta State of Nigeria, sitting at Warri, in which the following reliefs were claimed against the defendants now the appellants, jointly and severally,
"For the sum of N1,000,000.00 (One Million Naira) being damages for libel falsely and maliciously published through out the Federal Republic of Nigeria and far beyond by the defendants of and concerning the plaintiff in and contained on page 1 of the Punch Vol. 8 No. 14, 146 of Monday, 16th January, 1984 captioned FRONT PAGE COMMENT, Sad memories of State Police Commissioners, accusing the plaintiff of bastardizing democratic institutions including the judiciary in Anambra State, and imposing his party on the people of Anambra State."
The plaintiff/respondent also cross-appealed against the judgment of the trial court.
Pleadings were ordered, filed and exchanged and amended. The d…