A Cross River based online newspaper, The Beagle News, has published a retraction to a news story she carried, purporting that a former Auditor General of Cross River State, John Odey, padded for personal use, the state’s payroll, during his time in office.
We gather that Odey, irked by the unsubstantiated claims and suggestions which put his professional reputation to the sword, contacted his legal representatives who accordingly put the online paper to task.
Realizing gaps and no truths in the story, Judex Okoro Editor-in-Chief/Vice Chairman of The Beagle News, wrote and signed a retraction, published at 04:12 pm (local time), April 25, 2025. It read this:
“RETRACTION: ‘RE- How Auditor General Padded Payroll of Cross River State”
“Over a year ago, precisely on July 26, 2023, THE BEAGLES NEWS published a story with the above caption (sic) on its website.”
“The story unwittingly insinuated the unethical role purportedly played by Comrade John Odey in the pay roll.”
“The story failed to meet the objective and balanced criteria expected of a news organisation as ours largely due to the fact that sufficient efforts were not made to get Comrade Odey to either debunk or give his own side of the story to give the story a fair and balanced reportage.”
“Following the publication, Comrade John Odey, felt injured and maligned by our report and therefore sought for redress in a competent court in Calabar.”
“In view of the above litigation, the Management of the THE BEAGLES NEWS initiated a peace move for out-of -court settlement.”
“However, after a one-on-one meeting with Comrade John Odey, who furnished us with adequate details and documented evidence to exonerate himself from the pay roll padding, we agreed to settle amicably and out of court.”
“Accordingly, THE BEAGLE NEWS Management hereby issue a retraction with unreserved apology to Comrade John Odey and deeply regret every, embarrassment, pains or loss caused by the said-publication.”
“As a follow up to the peace moves, THE BEAGLE NEWS management have also deleted the said-publication from its online website, www.thebeaglenewsonline.com and no reader/audience or our esteemed follower as the case may be shall ever have access to the said-report.”
“We shall also carry out re-joinder on our hard copy and circulate same online and to our numerous readers, explaining why the rejoinder.”
As a reputable community news organisation, with good followership on and off line, we shall continue to discharge our social responsibility roles in a more unbiased, objective and balanced manner, promising to partner more with stakeholders to promote responsible community journalism.”
“Once again, we regret the inconveniences our report might have caused you.”
“Thanks for your mature approach to the issue. We remain grateful.”
When www.calitown.com spoke with Odey, he expressed disappointment at the story and events thereafter but feels that with this retraction, truth has prevailed and those who sought to malign him, disgraced.
Recall that Odey, stirred the hornet’s nest last year, when he appeared on a live radio programme, “The Public View”, broadcast on local FM station, HIT 95.9 FM, Calabar, and opened a can of worms concerning the massive theft programmed by a few individuals into the payroll system in Cross River State. That programme led to the immediate removal of then Chairman, CRS Civil Service Commission, Uko Inaku and a series of events that left the state service, shaken.
