The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has demanded a retraction and apology from the Punch and Daily Times newspapers over their publications linking the Managing Director of the commission, Dr Samuel Ogbuku to the sponsorship of a military coup against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
A statement issued by Seledi Thompson -Wakama, Director Corporate Affairs of the commission quoted the Commission’s Legal Counsel, ADEDIPE AND ADEDIPE Legal Practitioners, as issuing the orderin a strongly worded letter signed by Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, demanded that The Punch, the Daily Times and others retract the offensive and false publication and tender an unreserved public apology.
Adedipe said the report, “falsely alleged that Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was arrested by military intelligence for allegedly co-sponsoring a failed coup plot against the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“The publication further claimed, without any factual or evidential basis, that Dr Ogbuku transferred funds from NDDC contracts to finance an alleged coup plot. These allegations are entirely false, malicious, and defamatory.”
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“This reckless and damaging report has caused Dr. Ogbuku and his family severe emotional distress, embarrassment, and reputational harm. Friends, associates, and colleagues have inundated him with calls expressing shock and concern over the false claims.
“Accordingly, through his legal representatives, Dr Ogbuku and the Commission have demanded the following from both Daily Times and the Punch Newspaper: immediate retraction of the defamatory publication from all their news platforms; and publication of a written apology in at least four (4) national newspapers and five (5) consecutive editions of Daily Times and The Punch Newspaper, including all associated online and social media platforms.
The statement said failure to comply with these demands within seven (7) days from the receipt of the legal notice will compel Dr. Ogbuku to institute both civil and criminal proceedings against the publication and its editors, pursuant to the provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and other applicable laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The statement reiterated NDDC’s commitment to the development of the Niger Delta region through the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the peace and stability of Nigeria, and to upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability in public service.
The NDDC Legal Counsel urged members of the public to disregard the said false report in its entirety and rely only on verified information from the Commission’s official communication channels.
