Journalist, John Abayomi is threatening to sue famous blogger, Linda Ikeji for publishing a false story announcing him as the face behind popular and controversial Instagram blog, Instablog9ja.
Abayomi has recruited the services of respected lawyer, Femi Falana who claimed “that the publication with the headline, ‘LIB Exclusive: Meet the owner of Instablog9ja-John Abayomi’ has put his life and that of his family in danger.”
According to Daily Trust, a letter delivered to Ikeji on Friday demands that she “tenders an unreserved apology and retracts the false story”. In her story which went viral, Ikeji claimed “the owner of instablog9ja is John Abayomi, a former online editor of Vanguard news and current online editor of Punch”.
The letter reads further, “Your publication has put him in the harm’s way, thereby endangering his life and the lives of his family members. It has also attracted a lot of negative reactions from members of the public including celebrities who has been eager to know the face behind the blunt and sarcastic blog because of the method of reportage”.
“Your mendacious publication was clearly actuated by malice in that it was deliberately done to portray our client as an imposter, a fraudster and a blackmailer”
“In the light of the foregoing, we have our client’s firm instructions to demand an unqualified apology together with a retraction of the libelous publication in the edition of your blog (Linda Ikeji blog) in addition to having the retraction published on Instagram.
“However, if you fail or refuse to accede to our client’s demands within 48 hours of the receipt of this letter, we shall have no option than to initiate civil proceedings against you at the Lagos State High Court without further recourse to you,” reads the letter which was signed by Chukwuma Onwuemene (ESQ.).