A High Court in Ibadan, Oyo State, has dismissed a ₦5 billion defamation suit filed by the Aare-Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Chief Gani Adams, against Yoruba Nation agitator, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho.

The court not only struck out the case but also awarded ₦500,000 in costs against Adams in favour of Igboho.

Naijaonpoint understands that Adams had dragged Igboho to court over claims that he was secretly recorded during a phone conversation, which was later made public without his consent.

His legal team, led by Sikiru Akinrele, argued that the alleged act violated his right to privacy as guaranteed under Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution.

He asked the court to declare the recording and release of the call as unlawful and demanded ₦5 billion in damages for what he described as a breach of his fundamental rights.

However, during the court hearing on April 30, 2025, Igboho’s lawyer, Junaid Sanusi, told the court that Adams didn’t personally sign the affidavit supporting his case, and neither did an authorised person do so on his behalf.

Sanusi argued that this was a major procedural flaw that rendered the entire suit defective.

Delivering judgment on Thursday, July 3, Justice O.T. Ademola-Salami agreed with the defence and ruled that the affidavit was invalid because Adams or a legally authorised representative didn’t personally depose it.

The judge went further to state that even if the affidavit had been properly signed, Adams still failed to show clear evidence that Sunday Igboho recorded or leaked the said phone call.

“In the absence of any convincing proof that the defendant tapped the claimant’s phone or recorded a private conversation, the court has no grounds to grant the reliefs sought,” the judge said.