DSS Drops Charges Against OrderPaper and Staff Over False Report Claims
The Department of State Services (DSS) has withdrawn charges against OrderPaper and nine of its staff members accused of publishing a false report regarding an alleged plot to remove Senate President Godswill Akpabio. A DSS source confirmed this development to Premium Times on Saturday.
The source stated that this decision demonstrates the DSS’s commitment to protecting the right of Nigerians to receive factual and truthful information for the greater good. The withdrawal followed an apology issued by OrderPaper on its official website and other media channels, along with interventions from various stakeholders.
Read Also:
On October 21, Deputy Director of Public Prosecution A.A. Yusuf filed a six-count charge against the defendants at a Federal High Court in Abuja. The charges stemmed from an October 16 report claiming that DSS operatives had besieged the National Assembly to facilitate Akpabio’s impeachment.
The defendants included the Incorporated Trustee of OrderPaper (the entity behind the online publication), Oke Epia (founder/publisher and executive director), and Tony Ofodile (head of operations), among others. Additional defendants included Edna Ulaeto (admin/finance executive), Elizabeth Atime (National Assembly lead reporter), and several other staff members.
The prosecution’s first count accused OrderPaper and its agents of publishing false information on its online platform. In the second count, they were charged with intentionally publishing defamatory statements about both the DSS and Akpabio.
For further details, visit [Premium Times](https://www.premiumtimesng.com).
