A Benue State High Court in Makurdi has granted an order for substituted service of court processes in a N1 billion defamation suit filed by Terseer Ugbor, a member representing Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency.
The suit is against Governor Hyacinth Alia, Chief Press Secretary Tersoo Kula, and Principal Special Assistant on Electronic Media Isaac Uzaan.
Mister Ugbor alleges that the parties made defamatory statements against him on social media and in a video shared on Facebook.
The statements claimed that Mister Ugbor diverted palliatives meant for Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kwande/Ushongo Federal Constituency.
In the suit, Mister Ugbor is seeking several reliefs, including the Order for Removal of Defamatory Posts, Retraction and Public Apology, and an order of perpetual injunction restraining the defendants, their privies, servants, agents, or surrogates from further defaming him.
Justice I.N. Igoh granted the order for substituted service, allowing the court processes to be served on the defendants by pasting them on the court’s notice board and publishing them in a national daily newspaper, such as Blueprint or Vanguard, with circulation in Benue State.
