Africa’s richest man, Dr. Aliko Dangote, has given Kaduna-based engineer Kailani Mohammed seven days to retract allegations about his business dealings or face a N100 billion defamation lawsuit.
Through his lawyer, Dr. Ogwu James Onoja (SAN), Dangote is demanding a public apology, full retraction, and explanation of claims made during a December 17, 2025 TrustTV interview. Mohammed had questioned the source of Dangote’s wealth, alleging he engaged in “unclean business” activities in Port Harcourt during the 1980s.
The December 20, 2025 legal notice describes the televised remarks as “false, reckless, malicious, scandalous and libellous,” stating they have damaged Dangote’s reputation within the international business community.
Mohammed’s comments came while discussing Dangote’s petition to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against engineer Farouk Ahmed. During the broadcast, Mohammed reportedly said: “Can Dangote tell us the source of his money in the 80s when he was in Port Harcourt? Who is clean?”
Dangote categorically denies ever conducting business in Port Harcourt, calling the allegations “entirely fictitious, unfounded and malicious.”
The legal demand requires Mohammed to publicly explain his claims on TrustTV, retract his statements completely, and issue an unreserved apology with equal prominence to the original broadcast. Additionally, Dangote is seeking N100 billion in damages and a written commitment from Mohammed to cease making defamatory statements.
The letter from Onoja Law Firm warns that non-compliance will trigger immediate legal action, including claims for aggravated damages and potential criminal defamation proceedings through law enforcement agencies.
“Allegations of this nature made without proof on a national media platform amount to a gross abuse of the right to freedom of expression,” the legal notice stated, emphasizing that Dangote built his global reputation through “hard work, integrity, diligence and perseverance.”
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