A high-profile defamation suit earlier instituted by a senior officer of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Attah John Onoja, against The Guardian Newspapers Nigeria Limited has been brought to an end after a Federal Capital Territory Capital (FCT) High Court, Abuja adopted a resolution of the matter by both parties.
Mr Onoja, who is the Commander of the Mining Marshals, an anti-illegal mining subgroup of the NSCDC, sued the newspaper over a June 23, 2025 report titled “Community Alleges Involvement of Mining Marshals in Illegal Mining.”
He described the story as false and defamatory, seeking a public retraction, apology, injunction, and ₦2 billion in damages.
The suit filed as GWD/CV/177/25 was concluded after both parties submitted signed Terms of Settlement to the court.
Under the agreement, Guardian Newspapers acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the publication and committed to delete the story, issue a retraction, and publish an apology on its website, social media platforms, and print edition.
The retraction, to appear prominently on page 2 or 3, will clearly state that the earlier report was unfounded and not intended to impugn Mr Onoja’s integrity.
The newspaper will also conduct and publish an exclusive interview highlighting Mr Onoja’s professional contributions as Commander of the Mining Marshals.
In a show of magnanimity, Mr Onoja waived monetary compensation and discharged the newspaper from future claims related to the publication.
The settlement, dated August 15, 2025, has been entered as consent judgment by the court, formally bringing the matter to a close, according to reports.
