A Customs licensed agent, Ibrahim Egungbohun, has gone to a Federal High Court in Abuja to disprove an accusation that he is a prominent smuggler.
Egungbohun, also known as IBD Dende, stated in the lawsuit filed by his legal team led by Mr. Bola Aidi (SAN), that he was unfairly labeled as the biggest smuggler in the South West region of the country through posts shared on a social media platform called X.
He informed the court that he was inaccurately accused on a micro-blogging platform of smuggling bullets and guns to the eastern part of Nigeria.
The claimant asserted that the defendants' defamatory posts tarnished his hard-earned reputation and resulted in a loss of goodwill.
The 1st to 3rd defendants in the suit marked CV/2286/24, are an investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo; the Foundation for Investigative Journalism and the Arise Media Group.
The claimant informed the court about his established status as a successful businessman and philanthropist.
“The claimant is a Customs Licensed Agent and the owner and Chief Executive Officer of IBD Impex Limited, a company involved in clearing and forwarding of goods, construction, agriculture, real estate, and oil and gas.
“The claimant, as a clearing and forwarding agent, carries out his legitimate work of importation through the land border just like every other clearing and forwarding agent.
“The claimant is also involved in the hospitality business and owns IBD International Hotel in Ogun State. He is an indigene of Ogun State and is well known within the social and public space as IBD Dende,” the statement read.
“The claimant’s hard work, integrity, dedication and tenacity have given him business goodwill among well-meaning Nigerians and have enabled him to establish business and personal relationships with top Nigerian businessmen and politicians including Nigerian President, His Excellency, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, incumbent Governor of Ogun State, His Excellency, Dapo Abiodun, among several others,” he stated in the court process.
He told the court that due to “the persistent defamation of the claimant by the defendants, “the Eselu of Iselu in Ogun state, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, who is his traditional monarch, wrote an ‘Open Letter’ to the 3rd defendant about the defamatory nature of a documentary that was aired against him.
“In the said open letter, the monarch advised the 1st and 3rd defendants to stop further defamation of his subject and to always verify their claims before feeding it to the public.”
Referencing examples of some of the posts that were shared against him, Egungbohun mentioned, “The claimant believes that in the defamatory post of 26 March 2024, the detailed description given by the 1st defendant on how the bullets and guns alleged to have been smuggled in by the claimant were packaged and smuggled to eastern Nigeria shows that the 1st defendant was either involved in the smuggling or witnessed the process.
The person making the legal claim also says that in paragraph 35, the first defendant's defamatory statement suggesting that the claimant smuggled bullets and guns to eastern Nigeria implies that the claimant supports insecurity and terrorism in that area.
The person making the claim says that the defendants' labeling of the claimant as a smuggler, gun runner, and terrorist is completely false and damaging to the claimant's reputation, as the claimant has never been involved in smuggling, gun running, terrorism, or any other illegal activities.
In addition, the person making the claim argues that the defendants' negative posts, publications, and remarks have tarnished his hard-earned reputation among his friends, business partners, colleagues, and clients.
The person making the claim asserts that the defendants are intentionally trying to damage his reputation by referencing his connections with influential Nigerians, and that their libelous posts have permanently tarnished his good name and reputation.
The claimant challenges the defendants to provide solid evidence for all the harmful and critical claims made against him,
As a result, the claimant is asking the court to declare that he was defamed, and to mandate the defendants to retract the defamatory statements and apologize to him across their different platforms, among other requests.
Aside from requesting a restraining order against the defendants, the claimant is also asking the court to award him N5 billion for general damages and an additional N10 million to cover the litigation costs.
There is no set date for the hearing of the case at the moment.
