Buhari’s Adviser Demands N500m From Young Journalists Over Report on Hemp-Smoking

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO, ABUJA – The Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Finance and Economy, Ms. Sarah Alade, is demanding N500 million from two young journalists, Messrs Alfred Olufemi (21years) and Gidado Yushau (23 years), over an investigative report on hemp smoking published in NewsDigest, an Abuja-based online newspaper, on May 19, 2018.
The report titled: “Inside Kwara factory where Indian hemp smoking is ‘legalized,” was authored by Alfred, an award winning Campus Journalist during his days as a student reporter at Obafemi Awolowo, University and published by Gidado, the Editor of the NewsDigest.
According to the report, Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industry, one of the groups of companies owned by Ms Adade, who was Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), tolerated the smoking of cigarettes, as well as Indian hemp by workers within its vicinity.
The report also stated that the industry refused to respond to Mr Olufemi’s inquiry on the disturbing situation after he had put several calls and text messages to the industry’s hotlines.
The two defendants were arraigned at a Magistrate Court in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital for criminal conspiracy and defamation contrary to Sections 97 and 192 of the penal code which they pleaded not guilty.
Following the bail application made by defence counsel, Mr. Usman Belgore, Chief Magistrate A.O Muhammed released the defendants on bail adding that they are innocent until proven otherwise.
The conditions of bail include two sureties each who are relatives of the defendants with a bail bond of N200,000.
The case was adjourned for hearing on January 13, 2020. However, when the matter was called on Monday, the prosecutor could not provide his witness and as such, the Magistrate further adjourned the case to January 28.
However, after adjournment on Monday, the two journalists were served with another writ of summons by the legal practitioner of Hillcrest Agro-Allied Industries Limited.
In the summons, the company is demanding for N500 million from the duo and also seeking an order to compel the defendants to retract and delete the links of the report from their platform and ensure the deletion of same from all platforms on the internet that have copied it.
In addition, Hillcrest is also asking for an apology on their online news platform and two national dailies.