MSM Petitions IGP, DSS, EFCC Over Alleged Defamation By Oduduwa Transparency Network

The MSM Group Limited has lodged formal complaints with security and anti-graft agencies accusing the Oduduwa Transparency Network (OTN) and its president, Mr. Mahmud Adebayo, of publishing malicious and defamatory statements against the company.

In petitions addressed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), MSM Group, through its legal representatives, Habeeb Oredola, urged the agencies to deploy “the machinery of the law” to investigate and take appropriate action against those involved.

The letter, dated August 11, said: “The Oduduwa Transparency Network (‘OPN’ or ‘the Network’) and Mr. Mahmud Adebayo in his capacity as the President of the OPN has deliberately with malicious intent disseminated to the media and the general public blatant falsehood extremely injurious and detrimental to the reputation of our client. The malicious publication which are devoid of any iota of truth has exposed our client to ridicule and public hatred.”

According to the petition, the sequence of events leading to the complaint began earlier in the month.

The company accused the OTN of acting without verifying facts before holding a press conference on August 6, 2025, to spew allegations against the MSM group.

In the company’s words, “The Oduduwa Transparency Network without factchecking or investigation recklessly convened a Press Conference on August 06, 2025, solely for the purpose of maligning our client’s reputation. The Press Conference drew significant media attention with numerous representatives from prominent media organizations in attendance.

“In the course of the press conference, the President of the Network—Mr. Mahmud Adebayo—made sweeping and unverifiable comments imputing the allegation of crime against the MSM Group. More specifically, Mr. Adebayo made fictitious and unsubstantiated allegations of money laundering, misappropriation of public funds and conspiracy against our client and its subsidiary companies. These allegations which are completely untrue were uttered maliciously by Mr. Mahmud Adebayo.”

The petition further accused OTN of presenting “speculation as established fact,” adding: “The OPN through its President recklessly presented unsubstantiated speculation as established fact, creating sinister connections between our client’s legitimate business activities and fabricated criminal conduct. These baseless allegations were clearly calculated to inflict maximum reputational damage through inflammatory language and conspiracy theories presented as investigative findings. A copy of the press release downloaded from the YouTube link is contained in a flash enclosed to this letter. We have also attached copies of the publications made by the several media organizations for your reference.

“We have all reasonable grounds to believe that the actions of OPN and its President has achieved its desired sinister objective of criminal defamation as several media houses including The Guardian Newspaper, Daily Post Nigeria, Champion Newspapers and other new media have amplified Mr Adebayo’s unsubstantiated and malicious criminal allegations against our client. Kindly find attached proof of the utterances of Mr. Mahmud Adebayo as published by Guardian Newspaper and Daily Post Nigeria.

“By imputing fictitious and grave criminal allegations against our client, the OPN and its President—Mr. Mahmud Adebayo—has unjustifiably exposed our client to severe reputational harm, ridicule, public hatred and contempt,” the petition added.