MUHAMMED LAWAL SHAIBU, J.C.A. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): The Respondent as claimant took out a writ of summons and statement of claim at the High Court of Benin City respectively filed on 7th July, 2018 and claimed against the defendants now Appellants as follows:-
I. Sum of $1,000,000.00 (One Million Dollars) being damages against the defendants jointly and severally for libellous publication.
II. An ORDER of this honourable Court counselling the defendants to retract libellous words and other defamatory statements published of the claimant on three international newspapers and two national papers including New York Times and Guardian Newspaper and soft and hard copies to be delivered to claimant within 48 hours of the publication.
III. The cost of $100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand US Dollars) being the sum of money assessed as cost of action in the prosecution of this suit. IV. Solemn declaration to publish the article titled "FOI Sovereignty".
Upon being served with the ab…