Sahara Reporters, an online news platform, has been sued for by the Mountain of Fire and Miracles (MFM) General Overseer, Dr Olukoya over an alleged defamatory report published on June 30, 2013.

The ministry requested for N10 billion in damages and a written apology to be published on the online platform, as well as on Time International.

The platform’s publisher, Omoyele Sowore is campaigning to become Nigeria’s president in 2019.

Here are six other times the online news platform and its publisher have been served court papers.

1 – In 2010, Sahara Reporters reported that Eric Abakporo, a pastor in the Deeper Life Ministry based in New York was allegedly found with illegal proceeds from the renovation of the ministry, which cost about $675,000 and that he was also facing criminal law charges. Abakporo denied it and decided to file a law suit for about $30,000. The case turned out to be true after it was investigated by the US department of justice but he has failed to cite who his accomplices might be. The case was later dropped by the pastor.

2 – In 2017, Dino Melaye, a Senator representing Kogi west senatorial district, accused the online news platform of defamation of character, following claims that he did not graduate from Ahmadu Bello University. Dino said the story exposed him to great psychological stress and emotional trauma, and that he indeed has evidence to prove he graduated from the school. Dino decided to sue Sahara Reporters for N10 million.

3 – On 22nd of June, 2017, a journalist and PR consultant, Lekan Fatodu filed a defamation suit against Sahara Reporters, at the Ikeja High Court, claiming that Sowore threatened to publish an incriminating story against him if he didn’t give hims some money. Fatodu said Sahara Reporters went on to report that his company was used to launder N1.7 billion by Former Minister Femi Fani-Kayode.
He sued the agency for N100 million for damaging his reputation.

4 – In February, 2015, former Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro sued Sahara Reporters along side Premium Times, Punch Nigeria. Obanikoro claimed that Sahara Reporters released a recording where he discussed plans to rig the June 2014 elections in Ekiti State with Ayo Fayose and Iyiola Omisore. He attempted to sue them for N1 billion. Obanikoro was denied the charge by the court.

5 – Former Nigeria’s Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode filed a law suit against Sahara Reporters for claiming that his marriage to Precious Chikwendu was crashing and that his wife is threatening to announce it in a dramatic manner. The news platform also said his wife’s pregnancy did not belong to him but her lover, and that he accused his wife infidelity. Fani-Kayode sued the online news agency for defamation and requested that he be compensated with N10 billion.

6 – In September and December 2015, Sahara Reporters published stories against Senate President Dr. Bukola Saraki that attracted a N4 billion lawsuit for being libelous.


https://newsdey.com/7-times-sahara-reporters-sowore-have-been-sued/

Sowore for President!

Not too young to run