Filed as Suit No. HAD/58/2025, the case lists Professor Fasina as the claimant, while Engineer Mrs. Adebayo, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ.ng), and SaharaReporters are named as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively.
The suspended Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina, has filed a lawsuit against SaharaReporters and the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) at the State High Court, Ado-Ekiti Judicial Division, Ekiti State.
The lawsuit arises from the publication of sexual harassment allegations made against Professor Abayomi Sunday Fasina by Engineer Mrs. Folasade Adebayo, a senior staff member at the university.
Filed as Suit No. HAD/58/2025, the case lists Professor Fasina as the claimant, while Engineer Mrs. Adebayo, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ.ng), and SaharaReporters are named as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively.
Represented by his counsel, T.S. Adegbopega, Esq., Professor Fasina is seeking N250 million in damages, alleging that the defendants maliciously circulated an audio recording and accompanying reports that defamed him and damaged his reputation.
In his statement of claim, Fasina asserts that the audio recording, which captures evidence of sexual harassment, was obtained and circulated without his consent. He argues that the publication of the material constitutes cyberbullying, cyberstalking, defamation, and blackmail.
Quoting court filings obtained by SaharaReporters, Fasina claims: “The publication and audio recording circulated by the Defendants contained unfounded falsehoods alleging sexual harassment and victimization, which were deliberately spread to damage my hard-earned reputation.”
The statement of claim further reads: “On Monday, January 20, 2025, and Wednesday, January 29, 2025, the second defendant, acting on the instigation of the first defendant, circulated an audio recording online alleging that the claimant sexually harassed and victimized the first defendant. These defamatory materials were published via FIJ’s website at www.fij.ng.”
Meanwhile, Fasina referenced a report published by FIJ on January 20, 2025, titled: “EXCLUSIVE: HOW FUOYE VC Abayomi Fasina Pressed Married Colleague For Sexual Relationship Against Her Will (1).”
The report, authored by journalist Sodeeq Atanda, stated, “documentary and audio recordings independently obtained by FIJ confirmed that Fasina began making amoral advances towards Adebayo around July 2023.”
Fasina claims that the first defendant, Mrs. Adebayo, had previously addressed the issue in a letter dated September 17, 2024, to the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council at FUOYE.
In the letter, Adebayo allegedly wrote: “Of greatest concern to me is the false and damaging allegation that I attempted to seduce the Vice Chancellor. This accusation is completely without merit. On the contrary, it was the Vice Chancellor who made multiple inappropriate advances towards me which I firmly rejected.”
In response, Fasina claims he submitted a 14-page letter on September 27, 2024, titled “Clarifications on the Complaints from Engr. Folasade Adebayo: Expression of Gratitude and Records of Grievances,” in which he denied all allegations and sought to clarify his position.
Fasina asserts that internal investigations by FUOYE’s governing council and its committees cleared him of any wrongdoing, and that a Certified True Copy of the investigative report dated April 2025 supports his exoneration.
The claimant also notes that a separate petition filed in 2023 by a civil society group, Peace Initiatives, was investigated by the Nigeria Police Force. According to Fasina, the police report dated March 21, 2024, cleared him of all allegations, including sexual harassment, abuse of office, and intimidation.
However, despite these findings, Fasina says SaharaReporters went ahead to publish another report on November 30, 2024, titled: “University Staff SSANU in Ekiti Petition Minister To Probe Sexual Harassment, Victimisation Allegations Against Vice-Chancellor.”
He alleges that this article republishes already debunked claims, exacerbating the damage to his reputation.
He claims: “Since the circulation of the audio recordings and reports by FIJ and SaharaReporters, I have been subjected to numerous phone calls, WhatsApp messages, and physical visits from colleagues, family, and professional contacts both in Nigeria and internationally, all expressing concern over the damaging publications.”
Fasina maintains that the publications were driven by malice and were calculated to injure his standing as an academic, public servant, and Christian leader: “The publications contained words that imputed criminal offenses, unfitness for my professional duties, and sought to lower my reputation in the eyes of my colleagues, university stakeholders, and the public at large.”
He added that FIJ journalist Sodeeq Atanda had reached out to him via WhatsApp on January 2, 2025, requesting comments on the leaked audio. Upon receiving the inquiry, Fasina says he instructed his solicitors, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa SAN & Co., to respond formally via a letter dated the same day.
The statement continues, “Declaration that audio recording and circulation of unfounded falsehood of sexual harassment, circulated of the claimant to the world via online platform by the Defendant through the 2nd and 3rd Defendants amount to slander.
“Declaration that audio recording and circulation by the Defendants without the Claimant’s consent amounts to cyberbullying, cyber stalking and blackmail.
“Exemplary or aggravated damages in the sum of N250,000,000.00 (Two Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) for the circulation of the slanderous audio recording against the person of the claimant.
“AN ORDER of court directing the Defendants to publish a retraction of the said story in three different daily National Newspapers in Nigeria and same posted on the internet and a public apology in respect of the slander, the subject matter of this case to the claimant.
“An order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendants from further circulating similar or further audio recording(s) against the claimant.
“The sum of Twenty Million Naira (N20,000,000.00) as cost of litigation.”
