Posted by By Sun News Publishing on
Lawyers to former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, have cried foul over the publication by a newspaper at the weekend, which claimed that the former super cop said President Olusegun Obasanjo betrayed him.
Lawyers to former Inspector-General of Police, Tafa Balogun, have cried foul over the publication by a newspaper at the weekend, which claimed that the former super cop said President Olusegun Obasanjo betrayed him.
The newspaper in a banner headline, Obasanjo betrayed me, had quoted Balogun as allegedly saying he was dumped after he helped the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to regain power in 2003. But according to the former I.G's lawyers, the publication was the figment of the imagination of the writer, as Balogun has not spoken to any journalist in recent times.
The refutal, signed by Dr Tunji Abayomi and Mr Debo Adeleke, goes thus:
"Our attention has been drawn to the publication on the front page of a newspaper called Saturday Mirror of June 3rd, 2006 Volume 1: No 43, where one Afolabi Odeyemi published that our client, Mr Tafa Balogun, former IGP, stated: Obasanjo betrayed me.
"The said publication in substance covered pages 1 and 23 in which our client was alleged to have spoken to the said Afolabi Odeyemi of the Saturday Mirror in question.
"The publication further disclosed that our client cast aspersion on the People's Democratic Party (PDP) as a party, as well as on the Press, alleging that they were all standing aloof when the enemies came attacking.
"We wish to state here and unequivocally too that we have our client's express instruction to respond to the said publication accordingly with a view of correcting the wrong and damaging impression such a publication might cause.
"We have it on the authority of our client that the said story as anchored by Afolabi Odeyemi is completely false, devilish, wicked and a mere figment of imagination of the writer. Our client further stated categorically and vehemently too, that he had never seen, met, and/or had any form of discussion cum interview with the so called Afolabi Odeyemi, and/or any of his agents. Not even in a dream! There is no iota of truth in it.
"As counsels to Mr Balogun, we have meticulously perused the said publication and we have come to the conclusion that it is not only damaging but malicious, wicked and inimical to the interest and personality of our client.
"We equally wish to assert that the honour and integrity of our client are further impugned by such an outright falsehood. He is emotionally and psychologically traumatised by the publication. However, for record purposes and with all sincerity and without mincing words, our client hereby states as follows:
That he did not know the so called Afolabi Odeyemi of Saturday Mirror and had never had any form of discussion and/or interview with him or his agent.
That the said publication was designed to confuse the public and cause disaffection for him among Nigerian press and the President of Nigeria, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo (GCFR).
That the general public should disregard the said publication for it is not only false but malicious and dangerous.
"We wish to state here that journalism is a noble and honourable profession and anybody who aspires to become a journalist should learn to earn good reputation and acceptability by engaging in investigative journalism, publishing truth, shunning falsehood and concocted story as in Afolabi's case."