Falana Threatens Legal Action Against Linda Ikeji Over Fake Instablog9ja Publication

Seasoned journalist, John Abayomi, has threatened to sue the
publisher of Linda Ikeji blog, Linda Ikeji for publishing what he
described as false and malicious story about him.

Abayomi, through his lawyer, Falana and Falana’s Chambers,
claimed that the publication with the headline, ‘LIB Exclusive:
Meet the owner of Instablog9ja-John Abayomi’ has put his life and
that of his family members in grave danger.

In the letter delivered to the blogger on Friday, a copy of
which was sighted by our reporter, Linda was asked to tender an
unreserved apology within forty-eight hours or risk legal
action.

Mr. Abayomi

Linda in the said publication has claimed that ‘the owner of
instablog9ja is John Abayomi, a former online editor of Vanguard
news and current online editor of Punch’.

However, Falana said the statement is untrue and unfounded, but
only calculated to lower Abayomi’s esteem and damage his reputation
and professional career.

“Your publication has put him in the harm’s way, thereby
endangering his life and the lives of his family members. It has
also attracted a lot of negative reactions from members of the
public including celebrities who has been eager to know the face
behind the blunt and sarcastic blog because of the method of
reportage”.

“Your mendacious publication was clearly actuated by malice in
that it was deliberately done to portray our client as an imposter,
a fraudster and a blackmailer”

“In the light of the foregoing, we have our client’s firm
instructions to demand an unqualified apology together with a
retraction of the libelous publication in the edition of your blog
(Linda Ikeji blog) in addition to having the retraction published
on Instagram.

“However, if you fail or refuse to accede to our client’s
demands within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall
have no option than to initiate civil proceedings against you at
the Lagos State High Court without further recourse to you,” reads
the letter which was signed by Chukwuma Onwuemene (ESQ.).

A reliable source has also rubbished reports that Abayomi has
been summoned to a meeting by his employers, Punch Newspapers over
Linda Ikeji’s publication.

“It is totally untrue. There was no such meeting. John is a top
notch professional and everybody close to him, including his
employers are aware that Linda Ikeji’s publication was completely
untrue,” the source said.

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