On Wednesday, the management of First News, an online Nigerian newspaper apologised to Femi Gbajabiamila, the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu, for a news story published on its platform on January 29, 2024.
According to the publication, the article, titled “How Gbajabiamila attempted to corner $30bn, 66 houses traced to Sabiu,” authored by the Editor, Segun Olatunji was found to contain fabricated information “handed out to us as facts by a misleading source”.
“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,” First News wrote on May 8, 2024.
The newspaper’s management expressed regret for the oversight and issued an unreserved apology to Gbajabiamila.
Hours after the apology, the General Editor, Olatunji, resigned due to concerns for his safety and his family.
He stressed his commitment to defending his integrity against any allegations. Olatunji also requested the prompt settlement of his outstanding one-year salary owed by First News.
Olatunji’s resignation letter reads:
”In view of the latest development regarding the Gbajabiamila story and the stance of the company’s Management, I hereby tender my resignation as the General Editor of First News.
”It has become imperative for me to resign my appointment for the safety of my person and my family.
”However, I want to state that in no distant time, the truth will come out and then it’ll be my word against theirs.
”I hope the Management of First Media Network Limited, publishers of First News newspaper, will be magnanimous enough to fully settle the one year outstanding salaries I am being owed, in no time.
”I thank the company’s management for giving me the opportunity to contribute my quota to its operations in the past four years.”
This incident drew further attention to Olatunji’s previous detention by the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) following his abduction from his home in Lagos State in March, which drew condemnation from various media organisations.
