AFederal High Court in Kaduna State has issued a writ ordering an #EndBadGovernance protester Khalid Aminu to enter an appearance within 21 days in a defamation lawsuit filed by State Security Services (SSS) officers.
The five officers are listed in court papers are Abdullahi Yunusa, Rabiu Ismail, Charles Michael, Ahmad Sani and Danladi Musa.
The case concerns allegations made in an interview aired on Channels Television and published by Daily Trust newspaper regarding the defendant’s (Aminu’s) alleged torture at the hands the SSS officers, otherwise called Department of State Services (DSS), while in custody.
The writ, dated January 26, 2025, and issued by the Plaintiffs’ legal representatives Muhammed Sani Katu (SAN) and Solomon Utuagha, states that failure to comply within the stipulated period could result in judgment being entered against the defendant.
The claimants, SSS officers in Kaduna State, assert that the defendant’s statements were false, defamatory, and have damaged their reputation.
The Plaintiffs are seeking a “declaration that the interview granted by the Defendant to Channels Television Station (A National/International TV Station), where he alleged that he was severely tortured and humiliated while in custody of the State Security Services, Kaduna Command upon his arrest during the #Endbadgovernance Protest in Kaduna State on the 3rd of August, 2024 was aired by the said Television Station and presently on several social media platforms is offensive, defamatory and derogatory …”
They further claim that the defendant’s remarks, published by Daily Trust on 1 November 2024, have caused “disrepute, castigation, disrespect, ridicule and scorn in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society and other staff of the State Security Service.”
The plaintiffs also seek a court declaration that the statements amount to “Negligent Misstatement” and have subjected them to “psychological trauma, fear of loss of job, disrepute, castigation, disrespect, ridicule, [and] scorn.”
Additionally, the court is being asked to issue an order compelling the defendant to retract the alleged false claims and issue a public apology in two national newspapers and on all social media platforms.
“An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant to immediately retract all such false allegations made during the interview granted to Channels Television about being tortured and humiliated while arrested and while in the custody of the State Security Services, Kaduna State Command for being Negligent Misstatement,” the claimants argue.
They also seek “an order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant to immediately retract all such false allegations made about being tortured and humiliated during his arrest and while was in the custody of the State Security Services, Kaduna State Command, which were published by Daily Trust and other print media outfits for being Negligent Misstatement, false and made to disparage the Plaintiffs in the eyes of right thinking members of the public”.
The plaintiffs are also seeking financial compensation, including “one hundred million naira (N100,000,000.00k) only as general damages against the Defendant” and “sixty million naira (N60,000,000.00) only as cost of action.”
The case underscores the ongoing legal battles surrounding the #EndBadGovernance protests in Nigeria and the mistreatment of detainees.
The defendant is expected to enter an appearance either personally or through legal representation at the Kaduna State High Court.
“You are hereby commanded that within twenty-one (21) days after the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of such service, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in an action at the suit of the plaintiffs; and take notice that in default of your so doing, the Claimants may proceed therein and judgment may be given in your absence,” the writ of summons says