The Benue State Government has demanded N5 billion damages from the publishers of New Telegraph Newspaper over a news report it referred to as a defamatory publication against the person of the Governor, Hyacinth Alia.
This was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Kula Tersoo, and made available to journalists in Makurdi on Thursday.
The state government also demanded that the paper retract the story.
The online edition of the New Telegraph Newspaper published a story on Monday, December 11, 2023, with the caption ‘2027: Alia joins forces with Rotimi Amaechi …donates Lexus LX 600 SUV to fiormer transportation minister.’
Tersoo said the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice and Public Order, Fidelis Mnyim, described the said publication as ‘false and fabricated.’
He added that the report was done to demean the character of the governor and to paint him bad as someone using state funds to offer gratification and compensation for personal favours.
According to the statement, the defamatory story had made the governor to appear as someone who is insensitive to the plight of the Benue people and party men who supported and voted him into office on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
