MEDIA organisation, Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has demanded the sum of N200 million to be paid within seven days as compensation from Ademola Ayilara, owner of a real estate firm, Landwey Investment Limited, over the suspension of its website.
The demand was made in a letter by FIJ’s legal counsel, dated March 6, and addressed to Landwey and Ayilara. The letter stated that the real estate firm and its owner had published injurious falsehoods against the news outlet.
FIJ also demanded a public apology, written communication to its service provider Digital Ocean retracting the injurious claims and a written undertaking to desist from unlawful interference with operations of the media organisation.
“Please be informed that our Client shall, without further recourse to you, pursue an action for judicial relief in the terms stated above should you fail to settle the claims within 7 days of receipt of this letter,” parts of the letter read.
On Tuesday, February 28, FIJ stated that Ayilara provided fake information to the news outlet’s service provider Digital Ocean, which led to the suspension of its website.
According to the FIJ, Landwey’s action was in retaliation to an investigation published by the media outlet, revealing that the real estate organisation received the sum of N42 million from a client and failed to provide the property paid for, 21 months after.
Landwey had sent emissaries to the FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo with an appeal to take down the story, which was declined. However, about 10 months after the investigation, Digital Ocean accused the FIJ of copyright infringements concerning the same story.
FIJ said it is in possession of evidence showing the email is the handiwork of an international PR firm employed by Ayilara “to cleanse his digital footprints of negative comments.”
In the letter sent to Landwey, counsel to the FIJ noted that Ayilara had admitted to contracting an international PR firm to manage its negative online footprints.
However, Landwey has denied responsibility for the website’s suspension.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via vopara@icirnigeria.org or @ije_le on Twitter.