BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
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Two employees of the Catholic Prayer Ministry of the Holy Spirit, Elele, River State, namely; Rev. Sister Annette Ezekwem, of the Ministry and Deputy Vice Chancellor DVC, Madona University, Professor Martin Anagboso have instituted two separate suits at High Court in Rivers State, Isiokpo Judicial Division against three siblings of Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Edeh, Spiritual Director/Founder of the Ministry.
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Also joined in the suits are Punch Newspapers, African Examiner online newspapers and Everyday news online.
The media outfits were sued for publishing a petition written to the Director General DSS and the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, by Olu Omotayo, a human rights lawyer, acting on behalf of Rev. Fr. Edeh siblings.
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The Claimants said the publications to them were defamatory.
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The second Plaintiff, Rev. Sister Ezekwem, is the Special Adviser on students Affairs to Rev. Fr. Edeh, Rev. Proprietor of Madona University.
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The three relations of Fr. Edeh, dragged to court are cleric’s immediate younger brother, Chief Stephen Edeh of Gold Transport Ltd, Architect John Paul Edeh, and Mrs. Maria Omego-Edeh, former Managing Director of Mayfresh Mortgage Bank Ltd.
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The respective suits filed by the duo: are, Rev. Sister Annette Ezekwem V. Chief Stephen Edeh and Others, in Suit No. IHC/296/CS/2024; And Professor Martin Anagboso V. Chief Stephen Edeh and Others, Suit No. IHC/297/CS/2024.
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The Suits were filed respectively on their behalf by their lawyer, Chief Arthur Obi Okafor, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria SAN.
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The two claimants prayed the Court among other things for the following reliefs:
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A. N5,000,000,000 : 00K (Five Billion Naira) only.
B. An Order of Injunction restraining the Defendants and each of them, whether by themselves, their privies, agents or otherwise from further publishing or causing to be published the said or similar words defamatory of the claimant.
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The two employees claimed in their respective suits that a petition written by Olu Omotayo Esq. a Human Rights lawyer, on behalf of Father Edeh siblings to the Director General DSS and the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, is defamatory to their person.
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Omotayo had in the petition alleged that Anagboso and Rev. Sister Ezekwem and their cohorts capitalizing on the fact that Rev Father Edeh is old and ageing, unilaterally went to Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC, and removed all the shareholdings of Father Edeh siblings without their consent.
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Omotayo, further stated in the said petition that these people went to alter the shareholding records of Mayfresh Mortgage Bank Ltd, because Father Edeh siblings are the vocal shareholders who were demanding that over N4 Billion Naira Loan obtained by Madonna University from Mayfresh Mortgage Bank Limited are repaid.
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Mayfresh Mortgage bank Ltd, was established in 1993, as an Investment of Edeh family, by Rev .Father (Prof) Emmanuel Edeh, and he and his siblings were the first set of directors at incorporation.
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It would be recalled that the National Security Adviser Malam Nuhu Ribadu, referred the matter to Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), for investigation; and the Commission is presently investigating the Complaint of unlawful alteration of shares at the Corporate Affairs Commission.
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