Former Alpha-Beta Employee Sues Tinubu-Linked Firm, Demands N300Million Over Alleged Defamation
Former Alpha-Beta Employee Sues Tinubu-Linked Firm, Demands N300Million Over Alleged Defamation
Oluwasanmi is seeking N100 million in damages for libel and another N200 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, bringing his total monetary claim to N300 million.
A former employee of Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP, Oluwasegun Akanbi Oluwasanmi, has sued the company before the High Court of Lagos State, demanding N300 million in damages over alleged defamatory statements published about him after he raised allegations against the firm.
Alpha-Beta is a Lagos-based consulting firm that has for years been linked to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, dating back to his tenure as Governor of Lagos State.
The company has been under contract to the Lagos State Government, providing consultancy services for the assessment and collection of internally generated revenue.The ownership and control of Alpha-Beta subsequently became the subject of a prolonged legal dispute.
In a 2020 suit filed before the Lagos State High Court, Oladapo Apara, a former managing director of Alpha-Beta, alleged that Tinubu had demanded a 70% interest in the company through nominees and subsequently controlled the firm through proxies.
Apara also alleged that Tinubu was involved in the company’s affairs and that Alpha-Beta had received substantial commissions from Lagos State revenue collections.
Tinubu was joined as a defendant in the case alongside Alpha-Beta and another individual. The allegations were denied, while Alpha-Beta accused Apara of making false claims. The dispute was eventually settled out of court in 2022.
Against this background, Oluwasanmi, through his lawyers, is now challenging statements issued by Alpha-Beta concerning his employment and whistleblowing activities.
The suit was filed at the Ikeja Judicial Division of the Lagos State High Court.
Oluwasanmi is seeking N100 million in damages for libel and another N200 million in aggravated and exemplary damages, bringing his total monetary claim to N300 million.
He is also demanding a public apology and retraction, removal of the publications from online platforms and a perpetual injunction restraining Alpha-Beta from repeating the alleged defamatory claims.
The dispute arose from statements issued by Alpha-Beta in December 2025 in response to reports alleging tax evasion and improper tax practices by the company.
The company’s response was published by Daily Post online on December 24, 2025, under the headline, “Alpha-Beta responds to alleged tax evasion, says report malicious,” and on Nairaland the following day under the headline, “Alpha-Beta Consulting LLP Debunks False Tax Evasion Allegation.”
In the publications, Alpha-Beta described Oluwasanmi as a former employee who left the company following a “documented history of misconduct, insubordination, and breach of internal standards.”
The company also alleged that his conduct did not amount to genuine whistleblowing but constituted “bad-faith disclosure of confidential information.”
Oluwasanmi has rejected the claims, arguing that they falsely portrayed him as dishonest, insubordinate, professionally untrustworthy and someone whose employment was terminated because of misconduct.
According to his statement of claim, he was never sacked or dismissed over misconduct, insubordination or breach of the company’s internal standards.
He further alleged that he was never issued a query over any of the misconduct now attributed to him by the company.
Oluwasanmi said he joined Alpha-Beta in September 2018 as Manager, Risk Control and was later redeployed as Unit Head, Security and Risk Management, a position subsequently renamed Head, Information Security.
He claimed that during his employment, he received commendations, recognition and financial rewards for identifying irregularities, exposing alleged fraudulent practices and helping to prevent financial losses.
The former employee cited several incidents in which he claimed to have raised concerns over alleged financial and operational irregularities within the company.
He alleged, among other things, that he helped identify losses involving cloud-service payments and raised concerns over a N19.39 million payment to a vendor for equipment which he claimed had not been supplied after several months.
He also alleged that he reported concerns involving the company’s Chief Technology Officer in December 2023 and July 2024.
Oluwasanmi maintained that his actions were undertaken pursuant to Alpha-Beta’s own whistleblowing policy.
He also denied being part of any alleged “coordinated campaign of misinformation and intimidation” against Alpha-Beta, its management or employees.
According to the claimant, the statements were deliberately published to discredit him and undermine the credibility of allegations he had raised against the company.
He alleged that Alpha-Beta had access to his employment records and therefore knew, or ought to have known, the circumstances surrounding his departure before publishing the statements.
The claimant said he subsequently instructed his lawyers to issue a pre-action letter to the company on July 27, 2026, demanding a retraction, apology, removal of the publications and compensation.
However, according to the suit, Alpha-Beta’s lawyers responded on July 31, 2026, denying absolute liability for the alleged defamation.
Oluwasanmi argues that the company’s refusal to retract the statements or apologise further aggravated the injury to his reputation.
He is asking the court to declare the statements false, malicious and defamatory.
He is also seeking an order directing Alpha-Beta to publish a full and unconditional apology and retraction in Daily Post and Nairaland, as well as two other national newspapers and online platforms to be determined by the court.
The claimant is further seeking an order compelling the company to remove or procure the removal of the alleged defamatory publications from websites and other platforms within its control.
He is also demanding N5 million as costs of the action and post-judgment interest at 21 percent per annum until the judgment sum is fully liquidated.
The allegations contained in the suit have not been determined by the court. Alpha-Beta has the opportunity to respond to the claims in the proceedings.
Credit X | Sahara Reporters
