Two Kano-based online media platforms, NEWSPOINT and APEX NEWS, are on the brink of a legal showdown after receiving a pre-action notice over an allegedly defamatory report linked to Hajj affairs.
The notice, dated February 4, 2026, was issued by AL-ADL Legal Consult on behalf of Hajj Gazette News and Current Affairs Magazine and served on the Editor-in-Chief and Managing Director/Publisher of Bilwerks Media Limited, headquartered at Sharada Housing Estate, Kano.
The dispute centres on a report authored by Hamza Rufai and published by the platforms under the headline “2025 Hajj: NAHCON CEO, Abdullahi Pakistan, Defies Tinubu’s Order, Spends N45 Billion Without Approval.”
According to the legal firm, the publication carried false and damaging assertions implying that Hajj Gazette News was founded or operated by officials of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) as a propaganda outlet and a tool for political manipulation.
AL-ADL Legal Consult described the claims as malicious fabrications, maintaining that Hajj Gazette News and Current Affairs Magazine is a fully independent media organisation. The firm stressed that the magazine has no financial, editorial, administrative, or institutional links with NAHCON or its leadership.
The solicitors further accused Bilwerks Media Limited of neglecting basic journalistic standards, including fact-checking and offering the affected party a right of reply. They argued that this omission violates the Code of Ethics for Nigerian Journalists and has allegedly subjected their client to public ridicule, professional embarrassment, and reputational damage.
As part of its demands, the law firm called for the immediate removal of all allegedly defamatory content from websites, social media platforms, print editions, and digital archives. It also demanded a public apology, to be published with the same prominence as the original report, clearly stating that the allegations were false and misleading.
Additionally, the firm requested a written undertaking within seven days confirming full compliance with these demands.
The notice warned that failure to meet the conditions within the stipulated timeframe would trigger legal action without further notice. The proposed claims include libel, injurious falsehood, reckless publication, and damages arising from reputational and economic losses.
The solicitors added that their client would seek substantial monetary compensation, a perpetual injunction restraining further publication, court-ordered retractions and apologies, as well as full litigation costs.
The letter concluded by stating that the notice would be relied upon as evidence of prior warning and was issued without prejudice to the client’s constitutional and legal rights.
