The suspended minister of humanitarian affairs and poverty alleviation, Betta Edu has issued a legal threat against the British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC for what is claimed to be defamatory reporting.
In a letter from her lawyer, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a senior advocate of Nigeria, addressed to the BBC’s offices in Abuja and London, Edu disputes the report that N30 billion was recovered from her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The lawyer stated that the report has harmed Edu’s reputation and has caused her distress.
The letter demands $50 million in compensation from the BBC.
The letter stated that Edu’s legal team is concerned about a BBC article suggesting that N30 billion was recovered from Edu by the EFCC and that 50 bank accounts linked to the recovered funds are associated with her.
The article also mentions Edu’s previous suspension in January due to allegations of diverting public funds into a personal account.
The letter criticised the BBC’s article for suggesting guilt without evidence and for not allowing Edu to respond before publication, calling it a breach of journalistic standards.
It asserted that Edu has not been indicted or found responsible for financial misconduct and that no such funds have been recovered from her accounts or linked to her as proceeds of crime.
The letter emphasised Edu’s innocence and the lack of evidence against her.
The letter also complained that the headline, content, and tone of the article imply guilt on the part of our client, without any concrete evidence to substantiate such claims. This is a blatant attempt to tarnish our client’s reputation and undermine her credibility which she has earned over the course of her distinguished career in both private and public life,” it stated.
