Lemo Slams Elombah Communications: Demands $500M Refund Claim Retraction

Former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Tunde Lemo, has initiated legal action against an online newspaper owned by Elombah Communications. This follows a publication by NEWS.BAND accusing Lemo of refunding $500 million to the Nigerian government as part of the investigation into the tenure of former CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele.
In response, Lemo, through his legal representative Obienu Chinedu of Zest Partners, has vehemently denied the allegations. In a letter addressed to the online newspaper, Chinedu stated that Lemo categorically denies ever taking or refunding such a substantial amount from the government coffers. The letter asserts that the published claims are entirely false and unfounded.
The correspondence further emphasized the defamatory nature of the allegations, asserting that they pose a direct threat to Lemo’s reputation both within Nigeria and internationally. Lemo’s legal team has demanded an immediate retraction of the statements within 24 hours through the same medium used for their dissemination. Failure to comply, the letter warned, could lead to escalated legal measures.
The letter, titled: Re-Eemefiele refunds 4trn, Lemo $500million $275m &1.5trn found with Buhari’s PA, a copy of which was seen by The Harmattan News reads:
“Sir/Madam
The above subject matter refers
We are a firm of Legal Practitioners retained by Tunde Lemo who is herein refered to as our client and on whose express instruction we write as follows:
Our Client’s attention has been drawn to the publication made by NEWS.BAND, an online newspaper owned by Elombah Communications on the 21st Day of November 2023 with the above referenced as caption
It is our Client’s express instruction that he did not at any time take any $500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Dollars) from the coffer of Nigerian government warranting any refund.
That he did not refund any $500,000,000.00 (Five Hundred Million Dollars) or any amount to the Federal Government of Nigeria either through the Special Investigator of the Federal Government or any agent of the government or any person by whatever name called.
That the information so published by your newspaper as it relates to our Client is false and untrue
Our client finds the statement defamatory and sees it as a direct attack on his personality to malign him in the eyes of well-meaning Nigerians and his friends outside Nigeria.
Our client herein demands that you retract the said statement making the rounds as it relates to our client within the next 24 hours.
It is our hope that you will heed and accede to our demands and retract the statement through the same medium it was published within the timeframe given. However, should wisdom fail to prevail an you fail to so comply, we will proceed to perfect our client’s instructions.”
This dispute underscores the seriousness of the accusations and the potential ramifications on Lemo’s personal and professional standing. As the situation unfolds, all eyes are on the online news outlet’s response to Lemo’s demand for retraction amidst these contentious allegations and legal threats.