Human rights lawyer demands an apology from the Erisco boss
Inibehe Effiong, a human rights lawyer, maintains his position that Chief Eric Umeofia, the CEO of Erisco Foods Limited, must present proof to support the accusation that he is a fake lawyer.
Effiong has demanded that the Erisco chief withdraw and apologize to him within 14 days for making a defamatory comment against him.
As stated by the representative, according to sources,
he released a statement on Monday, announcing that his lawyer, Femi Falana, had sent a pre-action notice to Umeofia and his firm, demanding N100 million in compensation and a letter of apology for publication in two national newspapers.
The legal expert is insisting that the Erisco boss adhere to his requests within a 14-day period; if not, he will initiate legal proceedings.
Effiong, during an interview with Television Continental (TVC) on October 2, 2023, stated that Umeofia made a defamatory statement regarding his client, Mrs. Chioma Okoli. Umeofia claimed that his client had dismissed her previous lawyer, who had accompanied her to the Force Headquarters in Abuja, and instead hired a fraudulent lawyer in Lagos to deceive her.
Effiong asserted that Umeofia was well aware of the specific person he was talking about because his involvement and advocacy for Chioma were already widely known.
Restating his previous request, the human rights attorney, in a post on his X account on Tuesday, stated that he completed a five-year university programme and a one-year Nigerian Law School programme before being granted admission to the Nigerian Bar.
Additionally, he asserted that Umeofia’s accusations of him being a “fake lawyer” and a “charge and bail lawyer” had jeopardized his ten years of legal expertise.
My professional reputation as a lawyer, which I have built over the course of 10 years, has been jeopardized by Umeofia’s accusations, labeling me as an impostor and a lawyer who only handles minor cases, Effiong said he wants justice.
By Nnaemeka Odenigbo
