MSM Group sues OPN for N10bn over alleged defamatory claims linking company to laundering diverted NNPC refinery funds.

In a high-stakes legal showdown, oil and gas firm MSM Group has fired back at an organization called the Oduduwa Transparency Network (OPN), filing a N10 billion defamation lawsuit at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court. The company claims OPN's public accusations have unfairly tarnished its global reputation and damaged its business. It’s a classic case of a corporation fighting for its name against a group it labels as nothing more than a purveyor of "unsubstantiated speculation." ⚖️

The Allegations: A Tale of Missing Billions

This legal drama began at an August 6th press conference where OPN President Mahmud Adebayo accused MSM Group of being a front for laundering $2.8 billion allegedly diverted from Nigeria's state-owned oil company, NNPC. The funds were meant to rehabilitate three major refineries, but OPN claimed they were instead funneled through MSM Group under the guise of legitimate business ventures. The group pointed to the presence of former NNPC executives on MSM's board as proof of a "sinister connection." Adebayo asked pointedly, "What is Kyari not telling Nigerians about how funds were passed under the table to his proxies in MSM Group?"

MSM's Fierce Counter-Argument

MSM Group isn't taking these accusations lightly. In its lawsuit, the company described OPN's claims as "malicious, false and defamatory" and is demanding a full retraction. The company insists its ventures, including a $2.4 billion cement plant in Kebbi State, are entirely legitimate. The company’s legal filing asserts that OPN is an "unregistered association" spreading propaganda and that its reckless publication has created "fabricated criminal conduct" where none exists. The company’s Communications Associate stated that MSM's founder, a UN SDGs Peace Ambassador, has since suffered public ridicule and investor unease.

The Stakes and the Demands

MSM Group is fighting for more than just money. The lawsuit seeks to undo the damage to its brand, which it claims has caused "disturbing calls from global investors" and "mental distress" to its executives. The company's demands are clear: a formal declaration that the claims were defamatory, a public apology to be published in national newspapers and on the YouTube channels that aired the press conference, and a perpetual injunction to prevent OPN from ever making similar allegations again.

A date for the court hearing has yet to be set, but this legal battle is one to watch. It raises a crucial question about the line between public accountability and corporate defamation.