Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to request for probe of reports linking him to N4 billion from the suspended acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu.
A blogger, Jackson Ude, had claimed in his platform, Point Blank News, that Prof. Osinbajo received N4 billion as part of recovered loots from Mr Magu who is currently being probed for his activities.
Mr Ude is a former director of strategy and communications under President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration.
Osinbajo, in a petition dated July 8, 2020, and written by his lawyer, Bayo Osipitan, said the blogger claimed it was part of confessions Magu made before the presidential panel probing him.
The vice-president said the claims were defamatory and capable of bringing him to ridicule before members of the public.
Part of the petition read: “These vicious and malicious publications are meant to achieve one objective only, to present to his readership and others (Nigerians and foreigners) that our client is a dishonest and disloyal public officer and consequently unfit for the position of Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria he is occupying.
“We are of the view that unless an action for criminal defamation is commenced against the daid Mr. Jackson Ude, he will continue to use his social media platform to publish materials that are false and criminally defamatory of our client’s reputation.
“In view of the above, we humbly request that you cause the above allegations made against our client to be investigated and if the suggested investigation confirms our complaint of the falsehood of these allegations, to initiate criminal proceedings pursuant to the provisions of Sections 391-395 of the Penal Code Act for criminal defamation against the said Jackson Ude.”
Osinbajo also said Ude likened him to alleged internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, better known as Hushpuppi, by calling him ‘Hush-bajo’.
Ude is believed to be based in the United States.
