Retired General and former Chief of Defence Staff, Theophilus Danjuma, has filed a N1 billion lawsuit against Pastor Paul Rika, the leader of Holiness Revival Ministry Worldwide, for alleged defamation.
The suit is in response to claims made in Rika’s book, God’s Message to Kuteb Tribe and Indigenes of Taraba State, which reportedly contained multiple statements impugning Danjuma’s character.
Represented by Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Tayo Oyetibo, Danjuma issued Rika a seven-day ultimatum to retract the defamatory content. In a formal memorandum issued on September 27, Danjuma’s legal team detailed their client’s grievances, noting that his reputation had been harmed due to widespread circulation of the book.
According to Danjuma, his mentees alerted him to passages in the book that allegedly portray him as “wicked, mischievous, and anti-democratic,” thus tarnishing his reputation on both national and international levels.
The memorandum cited over 40 pages in the book containing statements Danjuma claims are false and damaging. It asserted, “The defamatory statements have caused him great discomfort, embarrassment, and annoyance, and lowered him in the estimation of right-thinking members of the public.”
Danjuma has requested that Rika and his ministry take steps to retract the statements within 90 days, including publishing a revised edition of the book with an apology.
He is also seeking general damages of N1 billion for the harm inflicted on his character and reputation.
