Africa's foremost industrialist, Aliko Dangote, has taken a decisive legal step against a businessman from Kaduna, issuing a stern seven-day ultimatum that could culminate in a staggering N100 billion defamation lawsuit. The move comes in response to allegations made during a televised interview that questioned the origins of Dangote's wealth.
The Core of the Allegations and Legal Response
Through his legal representative, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN of the Onoja Law Firm in Abuja, Dangote dispatched a formal letter dated December 20, 2025. The document demands an immediate public retraction and apology from Engr. Kailani Mohammed for statements deemed libelous. The contentious remarks were broadcast on TrustTV News on Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
In the interview, Mohammed, while discussing a separate petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), reportedly insinuated that Dangote's business activities in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, during the 1980s were not clean. He was quoted as asking, "Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 80s when he was in Port Harcourt?" and asserting knowledge of how the wealth was acquired.
Dangote's Firm Rebuttal and Ultimatum
The legal letter offers a point-by-point refutation of these claims. It emphatically states that Aliko Dangote never conducted any business or wealth-generating enterprise in Port Harcourt during the 1980s or at any other time. The letter characterizes Mohammed's assertions as "entirely fictitious, unfounded, malicious" and designed to damage Dangote's hard-earned global reputation.
To remedy the situation, Dangote's lawyers have laid out a series of non-negotiable demands to be fulfilled within seven days:
- A public explanation on the same TrustTV platform detailing the alleged unclean activities.
- An immediate and unequivocal retraction of all statements in the absence of verifiable proof.
- A full and unreserved public apology broadcast with equal prominence.
- Payment of N100 billion in damages for loss of reputation and character defamation.
- A written undertaking to cease making further defamatory statements.
Potential Legal Repercussions
The letter concludes with a stark warning. Failure to comply will result in the immediate institution of legal proceedings for aggravated damages. Furthermore, Dangote reserves the right to pursue criminal defamation charges by reporting the matter to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution. The legal team emphasized that such unsubstantiated allegations on a national media platform constitute an abuse of free speech and carry serious civil and criminal liability.
This legal action underscores the high stakes involved in public statements about one of Africa's most prominent figures and sets the stage for a potentially landmark case in Nigerian defamation law.
