A messy dispute between the management of True Moment Media Limited, publishers of The Moment newspaper, and the paper’s erstwhile Abuja Bureau Editor, Mr. Simon Imobo-Tswam, has led to the paper being dragged before the Police, the State Security Service (SSS) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

News Express learnt that problem started when Mr. Imobo-Tswam decided to leave The Moment, which has owed staff salaries since November last year. Mr. Imobo-Tswam had previously resigned at the beginning of the financial crisis at The Moment but was prevailed upon to rescind the decision, making him to forfeit a mouth-watering offer from an Abuja-based newspaper.

Fed up after eight months of no salaries, Mr. Imobo-Tswam submitted another resignation letter on June 22, which was accepted on August 13 but backdated to August 10. The story, however, took another turn when the journalist asked The Moment to inform him of how they intended to pay him his accumulated salaries and other entitlements before he could return his official car.

Upon receiving the letter, The Moment wrote to Mr. Imobo-Tswam, informing him that he had been dismissed from the company.

A shocked Mr. Imobo-Tswam contacted his lawyer, Mr. Adewale Yusuf, who wrote a Demand Letter to The Moment Publisher, Mr. Moffat Ekoriko, giving the company two weeks to pay Mr. Imobo-Tswam’s accumulated entitlements of N1.104 million or face a law suit.

“We shall at the expiration of these 14 days, file a suit in the High Court of the Federal Capital territory (FCT) which would be further enlarged with claims for special damages,” said the letter copied the FCT Abuja Police Commissioner, Director of SSS and Chairman, Abuja Council of NUJ, Mr. Imobo-Tswam also vowed to hold on to his official car until he is fully paid.

*Photo: Moment Publisher, Moffat Ekoriko