In a growing legal controversy, renowned human rights lawyer Femi Falana and his son, rapper Folarin Falana (known as Falz), have issued a stern demand for a public apology from popular crossdresser Idris Okuneye, widely known as Bobrisky.

The demand follows the circulation of audio recordings containing what the Falanas describe as defamatory statements made by Bobrisky.

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The controversy erupted after audios, shared by controversial media personality Martin Otse (alias VeryDarkMan), were posted online.

In the recordings, Bobrisky alleged that he had contacted Falz, asking for his help to persuade his father to secure a presidential pardon.

This pardon, Bobrisky claimed, would cost N10 million.

Further, Bobrisky stated he had asked Falz for N3 million to obtain special treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

In a separate audio, Bobrisky claimed that he had paid N5 million upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to help secure the pardon in question, which was linked to charges filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

These claims, however, have been strongly refuted by the Falanas.

In a letter dated October 14, 2024, and signed by their legal representatives, Olorunfemi Akinyemi and Taiwo E. Olawanle, the allegations were dismissed as baseless and damaging to their reputations.

The letter, seen by our correspondent, demanded a full retraction of the statements and a public apology on all platforms where the defamatory content was shared.

The legal team emphasized the seriousness of the allegations, stating that Bobrisky’s remarks had caused significant harm to Falana’s reputation as a respected lawyer and human rights advocate.

The Falanas have vowed to pursue legal action if the apology and retraction are not made promptly.

The letter read, “We are Counsel to Mr. Femi Falana SAN and Mr. Folarin Falana aka Falz (hereinafter referred to as ‘our clients’), on whose behalf we write this letter regarding your slanderous statements against them.

“We have confirmed that you took advantage of your recent imprisonment to extort money from a group of artists and other members of the public.

“You will recall that on 4 May 2024, you called Mr. Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz, and requested N3,000,000 (Three Million Naira) to secure special treatment at Kirikiri Correctional Centre.

“Although Falz refused your request, you falsely claimed in a video that he told you his father, our client, had agreed to write a letter of pardon for you. You also stated that our client had spoken with you and that N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) was required to bribe officials to process your pardon.”

“In another video, you claimed to have paid N5,000,000 (Five Million Naira) upfront to a Senior Advocate of Nigeria to secure a Federal Government pardon over charges filed against you by the EFCC.

“You further alleged that the Senior Advocate initially requested N10,000,000 (Ten Million Naira) for his legal services but, due to your frozen account, you could not raise the full amount.

“In fact, you have published a list of individuals who believed your fabricated story and contributed millions of naira, supposedly to pay our client to write a letter of pardon and bribe public officers on your behalf.

“Your decision to involve our client in your criminal activities was purely a figment of your imagination. Contrary to your baseless claims, you never instructed our client to write a letter of pardon for you.” It added

Uncertainty continues to overshadow the proposed meeting between the Independent Marketers’ Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and Dangote Refinery regarding the pricing of fuel.

Originally scheduled for Tuesday, the meeting was intended to discuss the direct purchase of premium motor spirit (PMS) from the refinery, following the withdrawal of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) as a middleman for the 650,000-barrel facility.

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The federal government, led by Finance Minister Wale Edun, has recently empowered marketers to make direct purchases from Dangote Refinery.

This shift is aimed at fostering a more competitive fuel market and potentially lowering prices for consumers.

IPMAN leaders had expressed optimism about the talks, anticipating that they could secure a more affordable fuel supply.

However, as of the latest updates, no meeting has occurred, leaving many Nigerians disappointed and hopeful for a reduction in fuel prices.

Chief Chinedu Ukadike, IPMAN’s National Publicity Secretary, confirmed that the association is still awaiting a call from Dangote Refinery to finalize arrangements. “As of now, status quo still remains,” he stated.

The discussions were prompted by interventions from the Department of State Service (DSS) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

IPMAN has previously criticized NNPCL, alleging that the prices offered by the national oil company are significantly higher than the N898 per litre available from Dangote.

Compounding the issue, IPMAN President Abubakar Maigandi revealed that NNPCL has been holding approximately N15 billion belonging to independent marketers for the past three months, further complicating the fuel supply situation.

As Nigerians await further developments, the prospects for cheaper fuel remain uncertain, with many looking to the impending discussions for a glimmer of hope.

In a significant victory for the Falana family, the Lagos State High Court has delivered a landmark ruling against social media critic Martin Otse, popularly known as VeryDarkMan (VDM).

Justice M. O. Idowu, presiding over suit no: ID/8584/GCM/2024, ordered Otse to immediately delete defamatory statements and videos targeting prominent lawyer and human rights advocate Femi Falana (SAN) and his son, musician Folarin Falana, popularly known as Falz.

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The court also slapped Otse with a N500 million fine for libel and ordered him to compensate the Falanas for damages.

The ruling stems from Otse’s September 24, 2024 posts linking the Falanas to controversial Nigerian personality Bobrisky. Justice Idowu deemed these comments “defamatory and injurious” to the Falanas’ public reputations.

Falana and Falz successfully argued that Otse’s claims were baseless and aimed at tarnishing their reputation.

The court noted that Otse knowingly published false statements to harm the Falanas.

“This judgment underscores the importance of responsible social media usage and the consequences of spreading false information,” said Dawodu, counsel for the Falanas.