By Diana Omueza
Mr Abimbola Joseph-Olupaiye, a renowned Nigerian-Dubai realtor and former employee of Tigers Properties LLC Dubai, has denied alleged reports of his indictment in Dubai and Nigeria by some bloggers and seeks public apology within 48 hours.
Joseph-Olupaiye said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
He said that the reports and allegations circulating social media claiming he was indicated for fraud were not only malicious but defamatory.
According to him, it is pertinent to note that I Abimbola Joseph has never been served by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), or any other anti-graft agency in Nigeria or anywhere in the world.
“I am in shock and disbelief at the recent publications by Sahara Reporters, Instablog 9ja, Society Reporters and other blogs alleging that I have been indicted for obtaining money by fraudulent misrepresentation in Dubai and Nigeria.
“The reports which circulated widely on social media and various online platforms, alleging that I have been prosecuted for obtaining N140 million, 467,000 Dirhams and $300,200 fraudulently in property investment deals.
“The allegations published are not only baseless but also have no empirical evidence to back them up.
“These allegations was purported to cause significant damage to the good reputation I have built over the years,” he said.
Joseph-Olupaiye said that he had always upheld high standards in his business dealings and remained committed to making Nigeria proud locally and internationally.
He said he was demanding an immediate retraction of the allegations and a public apology from the various news websites and blogs involved in the publication of the defamatory contents.
“I insist that a retraction must be done within 48 hours of this press statement’s release and legal actions will follow if retraction is not made within the given timeline.
“This has the tendency to damage my well built reputation which had been severely damaged as a result of these misleading reports widely circulated via many media avenues.
“As a consequence, I request the public also to exercise due diligence and verify facts before making unsubstantiated and inflammatory claims that can subsequently damage and alter the course of a person’s or organization’s future adversely,” he said.
He appreciated the support of his families, friends and colleagues and promised to continue to serve his best to his clients in Nigeria and Dubai.