Embattled Senator Ahmad Zannah representing Borno Central Senatorial District yesterday approached an Abuja High Court with a lawsuit seeking an order compelling the Federal Government to pay him N5 billion damages over the psychological trauma he suffered from alleged malicious announcement to the public and the whole world that one of the commanders of the Boko Haram sect, Shuaibu Bama was arrested in his house.
Zanna had listed the Minister of Defence, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Attorney General of the Federation and Lt. Col. Sagir Musa as co-defendants.
In his statement of claims, Zanna averred that Musa had on October 9 as the spokesman of the Joint Task Force at a press conference said that the Boko Haram commander was arrested in a serving senator’s house along Damboa Road, GRA, Maiduguri.
He said that Musa’s statement was reported in both print and electronic media, knowing full well that the words referred and were understood to refer to him by the general public.
He said it is a known facts that he is the only serving senator who has a house along Damboa Road GRA Maiduguri.
He added that the public was misled that he harboured a wanted Boko Haram terror suspect in his house and is therefore a supporter of the terrorists group .
“That the publication complained of falsely potrayed him as one of the persons who aid and support the Boko Haram in their terrorist activities.
“That the plaintiff, who has always publicly condemned the destructive activities of the Boko Haram, is a hypocrite.
“That the publication complained of was calculated to disparage the plaintiff and to lower his estimation in the eyes of the public and in fact, the plaintiff ’s reputation has been seriously damaged by the words complained of.
“The plaintiff has also suffered considerable distress, mental trauma, shock and embarrassment as a consequence of the defendants’ conduct and has suffered loss and damages’’.
No date has been set aside for hearing as the suit is yet to be assigned to any judge.
National Mirror
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