The Legal Adviser of Umuihugba Umuodu autonomous community in Owerri Municipal Council, Barr G.O.C. Ihebom, PhD, a renowned academic, erudite lawyer and Principal Partner, Chimamanda Chambers with Head Office at 31 Madumere Street Owerri, has threatened to slam a N45m suit against the self-acclaimed members of the non-existent Interim Executive Council of Umuihugba Umuodu autonomous community for jointly authoring and causing to be published a malicious and libelous publication in the Weekend Starpost Express Newspaper of Friday, 12th November 2021, if they fail to formally retract the report and tender unreserved apology within 14 days.
Barr Ihebom, in a letter addressed to Soronnadi Unegbu and his group by his lawyer, Barr. A.C. Ogowuihe & Co, also of Chimamanda Chambers, dated 15th November 2021, titled. “Formal Demand for a Retraction, unreserved Apology as well as N45,000, 000 compensation stated that, “The publication which suggested that my Client is dishonest, fraudulent, dishonourable, untrustworthy and corrupt was not only a deliberately contrived falsehood but a wicked contraption that exists in your respective imaginations.
The fact needs also be reiterated that as a result of your said publications, my Client has been gravely damaged in reputation and standing, as he has been bombarded/ inundated with a deluge of telephone calls, letters, messages, personal calls of friends, his clients, family members, well-wishers demanding to ascertain the authenticity of the said publications.
In the light of the foregoing, even at the pain of sounding repetitive, it is my final instructions to demand that you pronto do a retraction of your herein complained malicious and libelous publications made against and concerning my Client; tender an unreserved apology, to be published in a newspaper and given the same prominence as the malicious and libelous publications under reference; as well as reaching his Solicitors, as to how and when to pay the quantum of monetary compensation, as herein demand.
BE INFORMED that I shall not fail, as his Solicitor, to avail my Client, all the legal options open to him, in the unlikely event, and you fail, neglect / refuse to meet my instant demands within the next 14 days following, and this I shall do without any further communication to you, either jointly or severally.
Some indigenes of the community who commented on the matter on condition of anonymity berated Soronnadi Unegbu and his group for constantly heating up the polity ad causing trouble in the community.
They warned against the unnecessary harassment intimidation, arrest and detention of the President General of the Town Union, Sir Ferdinand Anoruo, a 78 year old man and members of his executive at the Retired Commissioner of Police and his group, stressing that if anything happens to any of them, they know who to hold responsible.
