The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has demanded an immediate retraction and public apology from The Punch and Daily Times newspapers over a publication linking its Managing Director, Dr. Samuel Ogbuku, to an alleged coup plot against President Bola Tinubu.
In a strongly worded letter issued by the Commission’s Legal Counsel, Adedipe and Adedipe Legal Practitioners, and signed by Chief Ayodeji Adedipe (SAN), the NDDC described the reports as “entirely false, malicious, and defamatory.”
According to the letter, the publications falsely alleged that Dr. Ogbuku was arrested by military intelligence for allegedly co-sponsoring a failed coup attempt and financing it through NDDC contract funds.
Adedipe stated that, “Dr. Ogbuku categorically denies these baseless claims. He has not been arrested, invited, or interrogated by any authority in connection with any alleged coup plot or financial misconduct. The publication represents a gross violation of journalistic ethics, as no attempt was made to verify the story with him or the Commission.”
The Commission lamented that the “reckless and damaging report” had caused Dr. Ogbuku and his family severe emotional distress and reputational harm, with friends and colleagues expressing shock over the false claims.
The legal notice demanded the following from The Punch and its editor, Awwal Owolabi, within seven days of receipt of the letter:
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1. Immediate retraction of the defamatory publication from all platforms; and
2. A written apology published in at least four national dailies and in five consecutive editions of The Punch, including its online and social media outlets.
Failure to meet these demands, the NDDC warned, would result in civil and criminal actions under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) and other relevant laws.
Reaffirming its dedication to the peace and development of the Niger Delta, the NDDC urged the public to disregard the false report and rely only on verified information from its official channels.
“We remain committed to the development of the Niger Delta region, the stability of Nigeria, and to upholding the highest standards of transparency and accountability in public service,” said Seledi Thompson-Wakama, Director of Corporate Affairs, NDDC, in a statement on Thursday, October 30, 2025.