CROSS RIVER STATE NEWSPAPERS CORPORATION V. MR. J.L. ONI & ORS

IGUH, J.S.C. (Delivering the Leading Judgment): In the Ibadan Judicial Division of the High Court of Justice, Oyo State, the plaintiffs, who are now the respondents, caused a writ of summons to issue against the appellant, who therein was the defendant claiming as follows:-

"(a) The sum of seven million naira as damages for libel contained in the issue of the Nigerian Chronicle of the 7th day of August, 1986 on the rear cover under the title "Tribune May be Shut by Awo."

(b) An injunction restraining the defendant from further writing, printing or causing to be written, printed or circulated or otherwise publishing of the plaintiffs the said or similar libel"

Pleadings were ordered in the suit and were duly settled, filed and exchanged.

The facts of the case, briefly stated, are that the plaintiffs are the management staff of the African Newspapers of Nigeria Limited which prints and publishes the daily newspaper known as and called the "Nigerian Tribune." The publication complained …