Alleged $30bn loot: First News apologises to Gbajabiamila as editor resigns

The management of First News, an online newspaper, has apologized to the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, regarding a news story published on January 29, 2024.

The story, titled “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30bn, 66 houses traced to Sabiu,” was authored by the Editor, Mr Segun Olatunji.

In a statement yesterday, First News management acknowledged that the article contained falsehoods and fabricated information “handed out to us as facts by a misleading source”.

They expressed deep regret for their oversight and extended an unreserved apology to Gbajabiamila.

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“As a responsible media organisation, we wish to state very categorically that we have no malicious intent towards the person of the Chief of Staff to the President or his office. Hence, our decision to tender an unreserved apology and the need to publish a retraction of the said story,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the General Editor of First News, Olatunji, has tendered his resignation, citing concerns for his safety and that of his family.

In his resignation letter, Olatunji expressed confidence that the truth would eventually emerge, stressing his commitment to defending his integrity in the face of any allegations.

He, however, urged the management of First News to promptly settle the outstanding one-year salary owed to him.

Olatunji was arrested and detained in an underground cell by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA).

It was earlier reported that he was abducted from his home in Lagos State in March, eliciting condemnation from the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and International Press Institute (IPI).