Human rights lawyer, Malcolm Emokiniovo Omirhobo, has refused to apologise to Kaduna-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, after being given a 24-hour ultimatum to withdraw his comments that called for Gumi’s investigation.
In a statement shared on Facebook on Friday, titled “Sheikh Gumi, I Did Not Defame You—Let’s Meet in Court,” Omirhobo said he stood by his words and would not retract them.
The lawyer explained that his earlier statement was not defamatory, but a call made in the public interest and protected by the Nigerian Constitution.
“For the avoidance of doubt, my statement is not defamatory. It is a constitutionally protected comment made in national interest, based on facts and the law,” he said.
Omirhobo stressed that he never called Gumi a terrorist but only asked the government to investigate his public statements and interactions, which he believes raise national security concerns.
“I did not accuse Sheikh Gumi of being a terrorist. I only urged the authorities to look into his public utterances and engagements that seem to defend or justify the actions of terrorists,” he explained.
Sheikh Gumi had earlier given the lawyer 24 hours to withdraw his comments or face legal action. But Omirhobo dismissed the threat, saying that if Gumi felt defamed, he should go to court instead of issuing ultimatums.
“If Sheikh Gumi believes I defamed him, the right place to prove it is in court, not through intimidation,” he said.
Reaffirming his position, the lawyer said no one is above the law, no matter their religious or social status. “I stand by my statement. I won’t take it back. No individual, cleric or otherwise, is above the law,” Omirhobo said.
He also called on the government to take the issue seriously, noting that defending or excusing terrorists is dangerous and should not be ignored.
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“Anyone who defends or justifies the actions of terrorists is raising serious national security concerns that deserve investigation,” he added.
