Justice Fimisola Azeez has dismissed VeryDarkMan’s objection application against his alledged defamation case.

The judge held that the objection lacked merit and consequently awarded a total cost of ₦200,000 against VDM — ₦100,000 each in favour of Femi and Folarin Falana.

The judge also directed the defendant to immediately file his defence in both suits.

Femi Falana and family are seeking redress over a video published by VDM on his Instagram page (@verydarkblackman) on September 24, 2024.

According to the claimants, the video was defamatory and injurious to their reputation, and they are each claiming ₦500 million in damages, bringing the total claim to ₦1 billion.

The family alleged that VDM made libellous, scandalous, and defamatory remarks targeting them in his video. They are asking the court to declare the publication defamatory and to issue a perpetual injunction restraining the defendant, his agents, or any associates from making or distributing similar statements in the future.

They further requested an order compelling VDM to publish a public apology on all his social media platforms and in a national newspaper.

VDM, in response, had filed a preliminary objection seeking to dismiss the suits for lack of jurisdiction. He argued that the Lagos High Court did not have the authority to entertain the matter, claiming the alleged offences were committed outside its jurisdiction.