At the Supreme Court, The Guardian has won a libel suit, which was on the judicial turf for 24 years.

The apex court exonerated the newspaper of libel in the report titled “Companies Registry in Shambles,” which it published on September 2, 1985.

In a unanimous ruling, all the justices of the apex court declared that the disputed publication was neither malicious nor libellous. The justices added that it was a fair comment based on facts and an expression of opinion on a matter of public interest.

The suit was filed against the flagship of Nigerian print media by Mrs. Eva Anike Akomolafe and her husband, Chief Agboola Akomolafe, a lawyer. At the time of the publication, Mrs. Akomolafe was the Registrar at the Companies Registry, Lagos.