The Rector of Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, formally known as Nasarawa State Polytechnic, Lafia Dr. Justina Kotso has through her legal counsel, demanded for an immediate retraction, apologies and compensation from the state Correspondent of Universal Reporters, an online news platform Rabiu Omaku for authorising what she described as false publications that disparage her person and reputation.
The Rector made the demand in a letter addressed to Rabiu Omaku and personally signed by Ishaka Mudi Dikko Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Counsel to the Rector.
The Rector through her legal counsel believes that the publication contains spurious, unfounded, defamatory and unsubstantiated allegations against her person and personality in the article
published on 18th September, 2023, Titled: “RECTOR IMAPOLY IN THE EYES OF THE STORM AS ALLOWANCES OF SIWES STUDENTS DISAPPEARED INTO THIN AIR”
According to the letter dated 19th September 2023, from the Rectors lawyer, the defamatory article which has been widely read within the polytechnic community and beyond has lowered the self-esteem and integrity of the Rector, as she is a Rector of repute.
“Your article has now portrayed our client as a fraudster, a person of low integrity, an unreliable woman, a cheat and someone who is not interested in the well being and development of students especially those of Isa Mustapha Agwai Polytechnic, Nasarawa State.
“We wish to state without mincing words that our client is an administrator and academia per excellence who has benefitted immensely from the education sector of the country and has no intention whatsoever of sabotaging the system which she has carved a niche for herself and has gained for herself national and international recognition”, the letter further stated.
The letter therefore urged Rabiu Omaku to delete the defamatory article published on Universal Reporter Website forthwith, immediately publish a retraction and apology to the Rector IMAP POLY on the website of Universal Reporters (www.universalreportersng.com) and circulate same widely across social media platforms, cause a publication of an apology/retraction in at least two national dailies and one local newspaper in Lafia, Nasarawa State without further delay and to pay the sum of Nl00,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) only to our client as compensation.
The letter stressed that failure to meet the demands within 7 days from the receipt of the letter shall attract commencement of both criminal and civil actions against Rabiu Omaku in competent courts of jurisdiction.
Reacting to Daily News Breakers on the letter, Mr. Rabiu Omaku said he would not retract nor apologize as demanded. According to him, he is in position of all the facts on what he published against the Rector.
He said when he heard the allegations against the Rector, he made several efforts to hear her own side of the story, by visiting her office, phone calls, SMS and WhatsApp messages but all his efforts were fruitless.
“My brother, as a journalist, you have a story to write and you gave the person at the center of the story an opportunity to clear herself, but the person keep dragging you for 36 days, would you kill the story?
“I have all my facts and as we speak with you I’m with my lawyer now to brief him. We would meet in court, where I will present all my documents. Infact I have documents that I can publish up to seven stories from that Institution now” he added.