- Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has initiated legal action against a state lawmaker and Channels TV over alleged defamatory comments made during an interview about a probe into a N423 billion loan
- El-Rufai is seeking N3 billion in damages, claiming the interview was “malicious, unwarranted, without justification, defamatory, and greatly injurious to [his] reputation”
Former governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, has initiated legal action against Henry Marah, a member of the Kaduna State House of Assembly, and Channels TV over alleged defamatory comments made during an interview about the probe of a N423 billion loan.
In a writ of summons filed before an FCT High Court dated July 11, 2024, El-Rufai, represented by his counsel A.U. Mustapha (SAN), contends that the June 5 “Politics Today” interview on Channels TV titled “Investigation of El-Rufai Administration” was “malicious, unwarranted, without justification, defamatory, and greatly injurious to the reputation of the claimant.”
El-Rufai is seeking N3 billion in damages, jointly and severally, from Marah and Channels TV for the injury, embarrassment, and distress caused by the alleged defamatory publication, which he claims resulted in a loss of reputation and goodwill.
The interview discussed the ongoing probe into El-Rufai’s alleged borrowing of N423 billion during his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023. During the interview, Marah accused El-Rufai of borrowing funds without due process and failing to account for the money.
Previously, El-Rufai filed a N1 billion suit against the Kaduna State House of Assembly, arguing that he was denied a fair hearing by the Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigation of Loans, Financial Transactions, Contractual Liabilities, and Other Related Matters. This committee was established on April 16, 2024, to investigate financial activities during El-Rufai’s administration from May 29, 2015, to May 29, 2023.
No date has been set for the hearing of the case.