Halima Abubakar slams AGN president with ₦30 billion over allegation of slandering the film industry


 

Nollywood actress Halima Abubakar has filed a pre-action notice against the president of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Emeka Rollas, over defamation.

TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) recalls that the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN) had announced the suspension of popular actress Halima Abubakar for “news of extramarital affairs linked with highly placed individuals in society and Nollywood stars”.

The AGN said a two-year-long investigation uncovered Halima’s “involvement in slandering the film industry”.

It added that the actress will face the national disciplinary committee to determine her full punishment.

In a statement on Monday, Halima, through her legal representatives, P.D. Pius & Associates, condemned the AGN President’s actions, saying she had been unfairly targeted within the entertainment industry.

Expressing shock over the accusations, Halima Abubakar stated that she had never been contacted by the AGN or allowed to respond to the claims before seeing news of her suspension circulating on social media.

The actress’ legal team accused the AGN president of exploiting her vulnerable state to perpetuate a damaging narrative, which, according to the actress’ legal team, was intended to “denigrate her, cast aspersions on her, and stir up social opprobrium.”

“Instead of respecting our client’s rights to privacy and a fair hearing, you chose this sensitive period to promote your false story,” the letter charged.

The actress further demanded the immediate removal of the defamatory publication and an unreserved public apology on Rollas’ Instagram page.

The letter further stated, “Our client has been battling health issues for years, and despite maintaining a professional relationship, you chose this delicate moment during her recovery to spread a negative and false narrative. This has caused her emotional and psychological distress and harmed her reputation among right-thinking members of society.”

The actress’ lawyers also demanded that the AGN president pay N3 billion for reputational harm with a warning: “Unless these demands are met within seven days, we are instructed by our client to pursue appropriate legal action.”