By Emmanuel Nduka Obisue
The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from The Punch and Daily Times newspapers over what it described as a false and malicious report linking its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to an alleged coup plot against the Nigerian Government led by President Bola Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the NDDC Director of Corporate Affairs, Seledi Thompson-Wakama, the Commission said its legal representatives, Adedipe and Adedipe Legal Practitioners, had sent a formal letter signed by Chief Ayodeji Adedipe, SAN, to the concerned media houses, demanding a full retraction and apology.
According to the letter, “the report falsely alleged that Dr Samuel Ogbuku, Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was arrested by military intelligence for allegedly co-sponsoring a failed coup plot against President Tinubu. The publication further claimed, without any factual or evidential basis, that Dr Ogbuku transferred funds from NDDC contracts to finance an alleged coup plot. These allegations are entirely false, malicious, and defamatory.”
The letter further stated that “Dr Ogbuku categorically denies these baseless claims. He has not been arrested, invited, or interrogated by any authority in connection with any alleged coup plot or financial misconduct. The publication represents a gross violation of journalistic ethics, as no attempt was made to contact or verify the story with him or the NDDC before its release.”
The Commission said the publication had caused Dr. Ogbuku and his family “severe emotional distress, embarrassment, and reputational harm,” and demanded that The Punch immediately retract the story from all its platforms and publish a written apology in at least four national dailies and five consecutive editions of The Punch, including its online and social media platforms.
It warned that failure to meet these demands within seven days would lead to civil and criminal proceedings under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and other applicable laws.
The NDDC reaffirmed its commitment to the development and stability of the Niger Delta region and urged the public to disregard the “false report” and rely only on verified information from the Commission’s official communication channels.
The Commission further advised media organisations to uphold the principles of fairness, balance, and accuracy in their reportage, and to always verify sensitive security-related information before publication to avoid misleading the public and undermining national stability.
Heritage Times HT had previously reported that the current peace being experienced in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region is largely due to Dr. Ogbuku’s inclusive leadership style, which emphasizes strategic dialogue and engagement with critical stakeholders, including traditional institutions across the region.
