By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Bauchi
The Bauchi State High Court has awarded N105 million against Wikki Media and Publications Limited for publishing a story deemed libelous against MinXin Mineral Separation, Ali Arzuka, and Ibrahim Usman Adam.
Justice Abdulkadir Lamido Kabir ruled that N100 million be paid as general damages and an additional N5 million as the cost of the legal action.
The court found that the online publication, which included a picture of terrorist Dogo Gide alongside the plaintiffs’ names, was defamatory and harmful to their reputations.
Wikki Times has also been ordered to publish a written public apology and retraction in its online platform, three nationally circulating newspapers—including Daily Trust—and two internationally circulated magazines.
The judgment further directed the defendants to remove the offending story and images from all online media platforms and restrained them from publishing similar content against the plaintiffs in the future.
The plaintiffs had initially filed the suit seeking N10 billion in general and aggravated damages, along with N10 million for cost of action, alleging that the publication falsely linked them to bribing a terrorist group to access mining sites in Niger State.
Court documents reveal that on September 16, 2023, Wikki Times published an article titled, “Investigation Inside Secret Details of How Chinese-allied Miners Bribed Dogo Gide Terror Group to Access Mining Sites in Niger State,” replacing an image of the Niger State Governor with that of Dogo Gide, with the plaintiffs’ names beneath it.
The plaintiffs argued that the publication, being accessible globally online, was intended to malign their character, expose them to ridicule, and cause social isolation.
In their defense, Wikki Times denied the allegations, insisting that the story was based on field investigations into insecurity in Niger State and did not target the plaintiffs personally.
Responding to the ruling, Wikki Times publisher Haruna Mohammed Babale said the outlet respects the court’s authority but disagrees with the decision, particularly the labeling of the investigative report as “defamatory.”
Babale added that the publication would consult legal counsel on possible next steps, while reaffirming Wikki Times’ commitment to ethical journalism, accountability, and responsible reporting despite the challenges.