Technext has publicly defended an investigative report concerning an alleged $4.2 million cross-border financial dispute involving Plaude Technologies and Zacuten, saying it stands firmly behind both the story and the editorial process that produced it.
The publication’s response follows what it described as a sustained media and legal campaign by Plaude Technologies and its representatives after Technext published its investigation.
According to Technext, the dispute has involved legal notices, telephone calls and messages, as well as what it characterised as a sponsored media campaign carried through established Nigerian platforms.
The technology publication said it considered the response noteworthy enough to issue a detailed explanation of how its investigation was conducted.
Publication says its reporting was based on verified material
Technext rejected suggestions that the report was intended to damage the reputation of Plaude Technologies or any individuals associated with the company.
The publication maintained that its journalists presented information they were able to verify and clearly distinguished between established facts, findings and matters that could not independently be confirmed.
At the centre of its defence is journalist Omoleye Omoruyi, whom Technext said independently examined documents connected to the dispute.
The publication said those materials included bank statements, company registration records, police investigation outcomes and arrest warrants.
Technext added that it retains additional documents and email correspondence between the parties and would be prepared to present those materials if required during legal proceedings.
Company responses were included in the original report
Technext also challenged any suggestion that Plaude Technologies was denied an opportunity to respond to the allegations.
The publication said it contacted Plaude director Olatomiwa Idowu, Chief Technology Officer Dayo Osikoya and Chief Commercial Officer Onyeka Akumah during the reporting process.
According to Technext, responses that were received were incorporated into the original article, with the publication indicating that additional information could be added if further responses became available.
The publication said Osikoya initially indicated in April that he was willing to respond through WhatsApp, but subsequently stopped engaging directly and referred the matter to the company’s lawyers.
Cease-and-desist notice followed correspondence
Technext said a cease-and-desist letter arrived three days after its communication with the Plaude executive.
The publication said its earlier email had acknowledged that substantial payments had been made to Zacuten and that Plaude had been unable to complete a foreign-exchange remittance because of cash-flow restrictions.
According to Technext, the legal notice disputed other elements of its reporting but did not provide transaction records, supporting documentation or other evidence that would resolve the disputed issues.
The notice reportedly called on Technext to stop publishing what the lawyers described as unsubstantiated reports concerning Plaude and its officers.
Technext, however, maintains that its investigation was substantiated and argued that a cease-and-desist letter does not carry the same authority as a court order.
Publicly available records form part of the dispute
The publication further argued that many of the developments referenced in its investigation were already part of the public record.
Technext pointed specifically to information involving alleged property seizures, restrictions placed on bank accounts and arrest warrants, as well as public information attributed to the Nigerian Police.
Its position is that these developments were not created by the publication and that reporting on publicly available information does not amount to fabrication.
The publication acknowledged that details surrounding the original financial transactions between Zacuten and Plaude were supported by documents it obtained during its investigation, while other elements were already publicly accessible.
Technext says it did not claim to have every answer
Another key part of the publication’s defence is its insistence that the investigation was not presented as a definitive account of every aspect of the dispute.
Technext said that wherever its journalist could not independently verify a claim or document, that limitation was expressly identified.
The publication argued that acknowledging gaps in available evidence is part of responsible reporting rather than evidence of journalistic misconduct.
It also said the article presented conclusions where the available evidence and responses allowed such conclusions to be drawn, while leaving room for additional information to be incorporated.
Publication disputes claims of an improper motive
Technext strongly rejected accusations that the investigation was produced for the purpose of defaming Plaude Technologies or its executives.
The publication said the dispute had already been the subject of public discussion before its investigation was released and argued that its objective was to provide a deeper examination of developments surrounding the case.
It described the reporting as an effort to bring together documents, official information and responses from the parties involved rather than an attempt to create a controversy.
Broader concerns about Nigeria’s technology sector
Technext framed the dispute within what it described as a broader responsibility to protect the credibility of Nigeria’s technology ecosystem.
The publication said the country’s technology industry has become an increasingly important contributor to the wider economy but continues to face allegations and controversies involving questionable business practices.
It argued that thorough journalism can help bring greater transparency to disputes involving companies operating within the sector.
Technext said its commitment was to preserving the integrity of the ecosystem while reporting matters it believes are in the public interest.
The dispute could now move beyond the media
The escalating disagreement between Plaude Technologies and Technext could ultimately be determined through formal legal proceedings rather than competing public statements.
Technext has made clear that it does not regard the cease-and-desist notice as sufficient reason to retract or abandon its reporting and says it remains prepared to defend the work behind the investigation.
Plaude Technologies and its representatives, meanwhile, have challenged the publication’s characterisation of events and have pursued legal and media responses to the report.
Unless the parties reach an agreement or one side provides further evidence that changes the picture, the controversy is likely to remain centred on the underlying financial dispute, the documentation supporting the competing claims and the standards applied during the investigation.
What happens next?
The next significant development could come through legal proceedings, where the documents referenced by both sides may be subjected to formal scrutiny.
Technext says it has retained supporting records, including correspondence between the parties, and is willing to produce them if required by a court.
For now, the publication has made its position unequivocal: it stands by the investigation, rejects allegations of defamation and says its reporting was undertaken in accordance with its editorial standards.
Summary
Technext has defended its investigation into the alleged $4.2 million dispute between Plaude Technologies and Zacuten following legal notices and what it describes as a wider media campaign.
The publication says its journalist independently examined financial, corporate and law-enforcement records, sought responses from Plaude executives and identified information that could not be independently verified.
Plaude and its representatives have disputed aspects of the report, while Technext maintains that its investigation was factual, substantiated and motivated by a desire to provide greater transparency around an issue it believes has relevance to Nigeria’s technology sector.
