Tuesday, August 26, 2025 - Hajia Halima Shehu
has denied a media report that she embezzled N44.8 billion and that the
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered N39.8 billion from
her.
Shehu, a former National Coordinator of Nigerian Social
Investment Programme Agency (NSIPA) said the report published in a national
daily, is “deliberate falsehood, malicious and defamatory”
She demanded immediate retraction of the report and a public
apology from the media outlet, within seven days.
Her positions were contained in a letter addressed to the
Editor of, “Business Day” Newspaper, a copy of which was made available to
newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja
The letter was also signed by two other lawyers, Seun
Awolade and Ojonugwa Ogwuche.
“On 7th January, 2024, your newspaper published a front-page
story titled,: “EFCC recovers N39.8bn from ex-NSIPA Coordinator”, authored by
one Chioma Onuh.
“The report falsely, maliciously and offensively alleged
that our client embezzled N44.8 billion, belonging to the Federal Government of
Nigeria, and that the EFCC recovered N39.8 billion from her.
This publication is a grave and deliberate falsehood.
“Our client has never been investigated, indicted or found
guilty of any financial
impropriety by the EFCC or by any other law enforcement authority,” the lawyer
said
Mahmud, specifically denied the media report that his client
allegedly transferred the funds to some individual accounts and companies
through some commercial banks
without any necessary approvals.
He said the newspaper, “without regard to the truth, and in
reckless disregard
of the reputation, integrity and dignity” of his client, chose to malign her
person by imputing criminality to her.
“We state unequivocally that the publication is wholly
defamatory, calculated to damage our client’s hard-earned reputation, destroy
public
trust in her professional integrity, and subject her to public ridicule, odium
and contempt.
“The publication offends every known principle of
responsible journalism, particularly the duty to verify facts before
publication,” he said.
According to the lawyer, the publication has injured his
client’s reputation, integrity and dignity and subjected her to public
ridicule, odium and contempt.
Mahmud, therefore, demanded an immediate retraction of the
publication in the newspaper and on all its online platforms.
He also demanded a public apology to his client, to be
‘published with equal prominence as the offending story, in Business Day
Newspaper and on your official website”,
The lawyer equally demanded indemnity for the damage caused
to the reputation,
character and integrity of his client.
He said, if the demands were not met within seven days of
receiving the letter, he would proceed, on behalf of his client to institute
legal action against the newspaper, the publisher and the reporter.
Mahmud, therefore urged the media outfit to take the
remedial steps to avoid the legal action
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