President of the Dangote Group, Dr. Aliko Dangote, has issued a seven-day ultimatum to a Kaduna-based businessman, Engr. Kailani Mohammed, demanding a retraction of alleged libelous statements made against him or face a N100 billion defamation lawsuit.

Dangote, in a letter written through his lawyer, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) of Onoja Law Firm, Abuja, demanded an immediate public explanation, retraction, and unreserved apology over claims that he engaged in “unclean business” in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in the 1980s.

The letter, dated December 20, 2025, accused the Kaduna businessman of defaming Dangote, lowering his reputation, and tarnishing his business image by questioning the source of his wealth and alleging illicit business dealings.

The offending remarks were allegedly made by Engr. Kailani Mohammed, during an interview aired on TrustTV News on Wednesday, December 17, 2025, in reaction to his petition against Dr. Farouk Ahmed, submitted to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The letter, titled “Demand for public explanation, retraction and unreserved public apology on your libellous publication against Alhaji Aliko Dangote, GCON,” was signed by Dr. Ogwu James Onoja, SAN.

It read: “We are solicitors to Alhaji Aliko Dangote and we write pursuant to his express instructions regarding grievously libellous statements broadcast by TrustTV News and uttered by you during an interview aired on Wednesday, 17th December, 2025 in reaction to the petition submitted by our client to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

“Our client is a widely reputable international businessman. He is the richest black man on earth and he has the largest business conglomerate in Africa.

“Our client, through dint of hard work, integrity, diligence and perseverance over the years, earned for himself the reputation and honour he is reckoned with all over the world.

“Your statement also portrayed our client as a very cruel businessman whose stock-in-trade is vendetta and a campaign of calumny to bring down others and exert monopolistic powers.”

The letter quoted Mohammed as saying: “Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 80s when he was in Port Harcourt? Who is clean? Every time when you want to monopolize, you bring allegations against people.

“Let him come and prove it. In the 80s, we are aware of what happened in Port Harcourt and how he got his money. Nobody came out and said all these things.”

Responding, the letter stated: “These statements are false, scandalous and gravely deliberate imputations of unlawful or morally questionable conduct against our client and are calculated to expose him to public hatred, ridicule, suspicion and odium.”

It added: “By your reckless and unguarded defamatory statements and assertions, our client’s reputation has been greatly lowered in the sight of reasonable members of the international community, including his business partners, associates and various governments of nations of the world where our client carries on business.”

Dangote, through his lawyer, categorically denied ever conducting any business in Port Harcourt in the 1980s or at any other time.

“Take note that our client categorically states that at no time in his life has he carried out any business, commercial activity or wealth-generating enterprise in Port Harcourt, whether in the 1980s or at any other period whatsoever as you alleged,” the letter stated.

“Your assertions are therefore entirely fictitious, unfounded, malicious and, without doubt, render you susceptible to both civil and criminal defamatory action.”

The demands made within seven days include:

“That you publicly explain on the same TrustTV platform and to the same audience, when, where and in what capacity our client was allegedly involved in any unclean activity or any activity whatsoever in Port Harcourt as claimed by you.

“That in the absence of verifiable facts capable of substantiating your assertions, you immediately and unequivocally retract the said statements in their entirety.

“That you issue a full, clear and unreserved public apology to our client which must be broadcast with equal prominence as your original publication.

“To pay our client the sum of N100bn only in damages for loss of reputation, character defamation and public ridicule our client has been subjected to since the said statements were published.

“That you give a written undertaking to desist from making or publishing any further false or defamatory statements concerning our client.”

The letter concluded: “Be advised that allegations of this nature made without proof on a national media platform are indefensible in law and amount to a gross abuse of the right to freedom of expression, which will culminate in both civil and criminal liability.

“Take further notice that should you fail to comply with the conditions stated above within the time frame, our client shall, without further recourse to you, institute legal action at a competent court of law and claim aggravated damages.

“This is without prejudice to our client’s right to make a formal report against you to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution for criminal defamation.” (The Guardian)

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