Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Igboho, has filed a lawsuit against Gani Adams, the Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland.

In a leaked audio recording, Gani Adams allegedly made claims that President Bola Tinubu was using Sunday Igboho for nefarious purposes. Adams went on to say that unverified reports linked Igboho to the 2001 murder of former Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Bola Ige.

In the lawsuit filed by Igboho, he is seeking an order that would require Adams to pay N500 million as aggravated damages for the leaked audio chat, which he alleges has damaged his reputation. The lawsuit, titled I/406/2024, was filed before an Oyo State High Court in Ibadan. Igboho claims that the audio chat, which was allegedly leaked by Adams, has caused him significant harm and distress. He is seeking compensation for the damage done to his reputation as a result of the leak.

According to the writ of summons made available to Punch in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, on Thursday, Igboho is seeking, among others, “a declaration that the content of an audio clip between the defendant (Adams) and a third party named Nuru Banjo that took place sometime in November 2021 and further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, is slanderous, libelous and defamatory.

“A declaration that it is unlawful, inappropriate and inexcusable for the defendant to defame, disparage and put to disrepute the character and reputation of the claimant (Igboho) in an audio clip published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, in a publication that took place between the defendant and a third party, Nuru Banjo, sometime in November, 2021 or thereabout.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to publicly retract the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content contained in the publication to Nuru Banjo, which was further published on all new media platforms, including Youtube, where the claimant was defamed, maligned and disparaged by the defendant in the conversation published in November 2021 by the defendant.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to engage all new media platforms, including YouTube, to take down the slanderous, libelous and defamatory content against the claimant.

“An order of this court directing the defendant to tender unreserved apology to the claimant in five national newspapers in Nigeria over defamatory content against the claimant by the defendant which has been published on all new media platforms, including YouTube.

“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agent, privies or assigns from further embarrassing degrading or defaming the person of the claimant.

“An order of this court for the payment of exemplary and aggravated damages in the sum of N500m in favour of the claimant for defamation of the person of the claimant by the defendant. Cost of litigation put at the sum of N10m.”