Betta Edu, the suspended Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, has taken a strong stance against the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), issuing a warning of legal action for alleged defamation.
Recall that Parallel Facts reported that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) disclosed that it has recovered a staggering N30 billion and has initiated investigations into 50 bank accounts connected to Betta Edu’s Scandal.
However, through her legal representative, Chikaosolu Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Edu has demanded a significant $50 million in compensation from the esteemed media organization.
The letter, addressed to both BBC’s Abuja and London offices, accuses the BBC of spreading false information concerning an ongoing investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which purportedly claimed that N30 billion was recovered from the suspended minister.
Edu’s lawyer contends that the BBC’s publication has caused immeasurable reputational damage, psychological trauma, and anguish to Edu. The letter criticizes the BBC for implying Edu’s guilt without allowing her the presumption of innocence.
The letter partly read, “For the avoidance of doubt, our client has neither been indicted nor found culpable of any act of financial impropriety in relation to her stewardship of the Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Alleviation Ministry in Nigeria.
“It is also pertinent to emphasize that neither N30 billion nor any amount whatsoever has been traced to or recovered from our client’s bank accounts nor has any proceeds of crime been traced or recovered from her to warrant the scurrilous article under reference.
“Suffice it to say that in the aftermath of the publication of this scandalous article (which the BBC caused to be disseminated to millions of persons across the globe), our client has been inundated by calls and messages from friends, associates expressing their shock and consternation.
“Our client has suffered immeasurable reputational damage, psychological trauma and anguish as a direct consequence of the publication and dissemination of the article,” the letter added.
