Nigeria’s foremost police lawyer, DCP Simon Lough SAN has vowed to demand over N1 billion in damages from publishers of alleged defamatory information against him if they fail to retract the publications and apologise to him.

CITY LAWYER recalls that Lough became an instant sensation late 2021 when he became the first lawyer in the history of the Nigeria Police Force to be conferred with the coveted rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria.

Then Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba hailed his elevation as coming “on the heels of his outstanding contribution to the development of law in Nigeria, in addition to his enviable feats in the legal profession.”

The effusive statement by the IGP noted that “ACP Simon Lough, a Police prosecutor par excellence, was appointed as a cadet officer (ASP) into the service of the Nigeria Police Force in the year 2000. Twenty-one (21) years down the line in Public Service, ACP Lough has served in various departments of the Force including the legal section and held national positions on implementing legal policies for the country.

“Notable amongst his contributions and achievements is his record of securing over one hundred convictions of cases of armed robbery, murder, rape, financial crimes, amongst others. He also successfully defended several high-profile cases and got thirty-three (33) judgments at the Court of Appeal and seven (7) at the Supreme Court of Nigeria. These achievements have earned him several commendations and awards within and outside Nigeria. With his investiture to the rank of SAN, he is the first serving member of the NPF and any other uniform agency in Nigeria to attain the feat in the legal profession.”

In a letter dated 24th January, 2025 and seen by CITY LAWYER, the Solicitors trumped the allegation by Integrity Youth Alliance that Lough backdated his police records to delay his retirement, demanding a retraction from the group as well as from Trojan Insight News and Sahara Reporters Media Group. The letter was signed by Mr. Adeleke Agboola, SAN, and Mr. Obiora Okenchi.

The demand letter partly reads: “We are instructed by DCP Simon Lough, SAN, the first police officer in Nigeria elevated to the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2021, and we have his instructions to write this letter.

“Our client’s attention has been drawn to the above-referenced story which has been published by different online media houses, like the TROJAN INSIGHT which tagged the defamatory statement thus: “SIMON LOUGH, NIGERIA POLICE LEGAL HEAD, OTHERS UNDER INVESTIGATION FOR BACKDATING RECORDS TO DELAY RETIREMENT“ published online on the 19th January 2025 via https:/trojaninsights.com/simon-lough-nigeria-police-legal-head-others: under-investigation-for-backdating-records-to-delay-retirement.

“The Sahara Reporters also headlined the defamatory statement as: ‘Simon Lough, Nigeria Police Legal Head, Others Under Investigation For Backdating records To Delay Retirement’ via https://saharareporters.com/2025/01/19/simon-lough-nigeria-police-legal-head-others-under-investigation-backdating-records.

“It is our client’s express instruction that the above-captioned story as it relates to him at the material time is false. Our client was born on 14th May 1969 and joined the Police as a Cadet ASP on the 1st of May, 2000.

“Our client was never enlisted into the Nigeria Police Force on January 8, 1987, and therefore could not have retired on January 8, 2022, as maliciously published by you, with the intention to besmirch his reputation.

“You published the defamatory and injurious story against our client without seeking his side of the story in accordance with the media principle and ethical responsibility of news balancing.

“Thus, DCP Simon Lough has requested a retraction of the defamatory statement made against him wherein he was listed among the police personnel engaged in the unethical practice of backdating their history records.’’

On the impact of the publications, the solicitors wrote: “Since these malicious and defamatory publications, our client has been completely disorientated and traumatized as he has been receiving calls from different quarters, especially those who know him as a man of impeccable integrity, a renowned legal practitioner and Senior Advocate of Nigeria. Our client considers these false, defamatory and malicious statements published in the letter to the Inspector General of Police Olukayode Adeolu Egbetokun, “Names Of Police Personnel That Engaged In Unethical Practice Of Backdating Their History Records” by the Integrity Youth Alliance and published by Sahara Reporters and Trojan Insights as a way to manipulate the unsuspecting public and surreptitiously turned our client into a villain while making huge commercial gains at the expense of our client’s reputation which is global.”

Warning that the pioneering Senior Advocate would not hesitate to seek redress in court, his lawyers wrote: “We have our client’s instructions to institute an action against you at the appropriate Court, seeking the following reliefs:

“The sum of N 1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) being damages jointly and severally for the libelous publications against DCP SIMON LOUGH, SAN as contained in the Letter “Names Of Police Personnel That Engaged In Unethical Practice Of Backdating Their History Records” dated 6 January, 2025.

“An order directing the Defendants to retract the libelous publications and tender an unreserved apology to DCP SIMON LOUGH, SAN in three National Newspapers with wide circulation in Nigeria;

“An Order stopping forthwith further production/publication and circulation of the defamatory publication made in the letter dated 6″” January, 2025 and published by Sahara Reporters and 1rojan Insight on their websites on the 19th of January, 2025

“An order of injunction restraining the Defendants from repeating or engaging in a similar publication against DCP SIMON LOUGH, SAN.

“An order compelling the Defendants to pay Claimant’s Counsel Tees in the sum of N100,000.000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira) being the cost of prosecuting the suit.”

Leaving the door open for amicable settlement, the solicitors however wrote:

“Our client is open to amicable settlement of this matter, and is prepared to shelve the impending action if your good selves and your company meet the following demands on or before the 15th day of February, 2025:

“All the Defendants shall publish a retraction of the subject defamatory words in three National Newspaper with wide circulation in Nigeria not later than 15th day of February, 2025. The text of the retraction to be agreed with our Law Firm in writing:

“All Defendants shall tender an unreserved apology to our Client and publish same conspicuously in three National Newspapers with wide circulation in Nigeria not later than 15th day of February, 2025. The text of the apology to be agreed with our Law Firm in writing; All Defendants shall give an undertaking to refrain from further similar publications against our Client;

“Please note that you all have a period 10 days to respond to this letter and our proposal for settlement.”

It was unclear at press time whether the addressees have responded to the demands.

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