Eric Umeofia, Chioma Okoli
Erisco Foods CEO, Eric Umeofia threatens Chioma Egodi Jnr with N5bn lawsuit
Eric Umeofia, CEO of Erisco Foods Ltd., has likened his company’s recent face-off with Chioma Egodi Jnr., a popular Facebook user, to the incident involving Mmesoma Ejikeme, a 2023 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) candidate who circulated a fake examination result.
During an interview on Arise News TV on Thursday, Umeofia described the event as a case of “the weak oppressing the big.”
On September 17, Egodi Jnr., had posted a review of Nagiko Tomato Mix, a product of Erisco Foods Ltd., on her page, asking her followers who had used the same product to share their opinions and experiences with her.
Unhappy with the outcome of the review, Erisco Foods Ltd. petitioned the police on the matter.
When the police arrested Egodi Jnr., the action led to public outrage especially in the Nigerian social media space.
Erisco Foods Ltd. also came under fire for getting Egodi Jnr. arrested because she gave what was termed “an honest opinion” on social media.
The Federal Compliants and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) eventually waded into the matter and eventually secured the Facebook user’s release.
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During Thursday’s interview, Umeofia claimed Nigerians have continued to “attack him” on the issue the same way they attacked the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Boards (JAMB) in June 2023, when Mmesoma claimed she had scored 362 in the UTME exams.
“This is another Mmesoma and JAMB case,” Umeofia said on Arise News TV.
“People were castigating JAMB, but nobody got the guts to say, “JAMB, sorry for what I said”. People must come back and tell me sorry.”
Umeofia further said he would be suing Egodi Jnr. for N5 billlion if she failed to publish an apology on her social media accounts within seven days.
“If you don’t like it (Nagiko Tomato Mix), buy another one. But because she is determined [sic] people tell her don’t destroy this product… [said] she said it’s a lie… he will abuse you [sic]… people should go and read what she (Egodi Jnr.) posted, to show you that she is determined to kill us. So, why must I leave her?” Umeofia said during the interview.
“I have credit lines of $15 million from two customers and now it is suspended from China. $15 million from two good customers. Because they said I am not likely to pay them the credit if they give me.”
Umeofia added that he was still expecting Egodi Jnr. to post an apology letter she had written before her release on her Facebook page.
“If she doesn’t post it (the letter of apology) there, we are going for N5 billion. Even that is small money for me to ask from her,” said Umeofia.
“$30 million, do you know how much it is? I will tell you, for the past five years, I have never got any credit facility in Nigeria. No loan.”
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