The Effurun High Court yesterday postponed a pre-trial conference in the libel suit involving famous Nigerian online blogger Linda Ikeji and the Registered Trustees of the Neo-Black Movement (NBM) of Africa to March 16, 2023.
The adjournment was caused by the absence of the Presiding Judge of the Delta High Court, Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area, Justice Roli Daibo-Harriman.
Mr Kelvin Agbroko, Counsel to the NBM of Africa, told reporters on Tuesday at the courthouse that the matter had previously come up for hearing at the court when the defendant’s (Ikeji) counsel pleaded for time to file his defense.
According to Agbroko, the defendant has yet to file any process to defend the case.
“As it stands now, the case has been postponed until March 6, 2023, for a pre-trial conference,” Agbroko said.
It should be remembered that the Claimants: the Registered Trustees of NBM of Africa, Ede Kakor, Felix Kupa, and Mayor Onyebueke had filed a Suit Number: EHC/210/2021 before the Court in 2021, in which Ikeji was the sole defendant.
The Claimants, through their counsel, asked the court for a N1 billion award and an unconditional apology to be published in the defendant’s blog and two national newspapers, among other places, for the alleged libellous publication.
Agbroko claimed that on October 19, 2021, Ikeji published an article on her blog in which she defamed his clients by referring to them as ‘Black Axe,’ calling them names other than their organization.
“The organization’s name is NBM of Africa, and she also referred to them as criminals in the said publication.
“When my clients got wind of the publication, they consulted me and we put up a demand letter of retraction and apology. But she ignored and refused to do the necessary.
“After several reminders and the letters’ expiration, the organization decided to file a libel suit against her.
“This suit will serve as a wake-up call to all bloggers who fail to verify facts before publishing,” he said.
Agbroko stated that the case involving NBM of Africa and the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) had also been adjourned until March 6, for rulings on the motions.
He stated that the defendant, BBC, had already filed preliminary objections, and that the written addresses had been taken and were awaiting court rulings.
“Unfortunately, we’ve ended up where we are today for one reason or another,” Agbroko explained.
