The suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation in Nigeria, Dr. Betta Edu, is threatening legal action against BBC British Broadcasting Corporation over what she claims to be a defamatory article published by the media outlet.
In a letter addressed to the BBC’s offices in Abuja and London, Edu’s legal representative, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Chikaosolu Ojukwu, demanded an immediate retraction of the article titled “Betta Edu Probe: Nigeria Recover $24m in Poverty Minister Investigation- EFCC.” The letter accused the BBC of failing to uphold journalistic fairness and due process by not giving Edu an opportunity to respond to the allegations before publishing the report.
The contentious article, according to the letter, contained “innuendoes and insinuations” suggesting that 30 billion naira (approximately $24 million) had been recovered from Edu during an ongoing corruption probe by Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The article also referenced Edu’s earlier suspension in January over the alleged diversion of $640,000 of public funds into a personal bank account.
Ojukwu vehemently denied these claims, stating that Edu has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any financial impropriety during her tenure as Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation. He emphasized that no funds have been traced or recovered from Edu’s accounts, contradicting the BBC’s report.
The letter alleged that the “reckless manner” in which the article was crafted, without providing Edu an opportunity to respond, constituted a “clear breach of journalistic fairness and due process” and demonstrated a “complete disregard for journalistic integrity and professionalism.”
As a result of the publication, Ojukwu claimed that Edu has suffered immeasurable reputational damage, psychological trauma, and anguish, prompting demands for the BBC to immediately retract the article, issue a public apology with equal prominence, and pull down the offensive content from its website and associated platforms.
Failure to comply with these demands within 48 hours, the letter warned, would result in swift legal action against the BBC to seek redress for “injurious falsehood” and punitive damages of $50 million for the harm caused to Edu.
The legal threat from Edu comes in the wake of her suspension by President Bola Tinubu in January 2024, following criticism over a leaked memo that revealed her alleged involvement in diverting funds to a private account.
As the standoff between Edu and the BBC escalates, the case highlights the delicate balance between journalistic integrity and the potential consequences of defamatory reporting. The outcome of any legal proceedings could have far-reaching implications for media freedom and accountability in Nigeria.
Betta Edu threatens to sue BBC over alleged defamation published in Punch by Okiki Adeduyite