TY Danjuma threatens lawsuit against cleric over claims in new book, demands N1 billion

A former Minister of Defence, Theophilus Danjuma, has asked a cleric, Paul Rika, to retract allegations he made against him in his book.

Specifically, Mr Danjuma is asking the cleric to print a second edition of the book within 90 days to correct unfair references made to him in the book and to pay him N1 billion for damages.

Mr Rika, the founder and President of the Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide, wrote the book, titled “God’s Message to the Kuteb Tribe and Indigenes of Taraba State.”

Mr Danjuma is demanding N1 billion as damages from the preacher, alleging the book portrays him as a “wicked, mischievous, evil and anti-democratic person.”

Mr Danjuma’s demands were communicated in a letter addressed to the cleric by his lawyer, Tayo Oyetibo.

The demands include that Mr Rika is to within 90 days print, publish, and distribute a second edition of the book to apologise for all the “false statements published of and concerning him in the first edition.”

The former army chief said the book impugned his character, ridiculed him and also jeopardised his business.

Parts of the lawyer’s letter, dated 27 September, read:

“The defamatory statements which you published of, and concerning our client have caused him great discomfort, embarrassment, and annoyance, and lowered him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public who have read the book.

“Since the publication, he has been inundated with calls and other contacts from several people and leaders within and outside Nigeria, who read the book and are disturbed and disappointed.

“Our client, being a revered octogenarian who has dedicated his life to the service of humanity, is greatly distressed by your defamatory publication because his reputation built by a labour of many decades has been assaulted and jolted by your insensitive, malicious, and contemptuous false publication.

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“Accordingly, our client has instructed us to commence legal proceedings against you and the Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide [as defendants] to seek appropriate judicial remedies,” the letter added.

The lawyers said remedies being sought include the defendant to within 90 days print, publish, and distribute a second edition of the book and apologise to Danjuma for all the “false statements published of and concerning him in the first edition.”

Mr Danjuma retired as a lieutenant-general and chief of army staff in 1979 but served as Minister of Defence between 1999 and 2003.