The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a N20 billion libel suit against the Nigeria Police Force Spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The suit, initiated by Kanu’s lead counsel, Chief Aloy Ejimakor, was filed on Tuesday at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Kanu accused Adejobi of defaming his character by portraying him as a terrorist leader in a press statement issued on January 25, 2024.
The press release in question, which went viral, was titled, “Imo: Police neutralise six IPOB/ESN terrorists, recover arms.” It read:
“Operatives of the Imo Police Command’s tactical unit have neutralised three notorious kingpins of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), an armed wing of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).”
A copy of the suit cited further statements made by Adejobi:
“The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday in Owerri.
“Adejobi said following credible intelligence, the police operatives located and launched a coordinated operation on the terrorists’ hideout in a forest within Ihube in Okigwe Local Government Area of the state on January 24.
“The Force PRO said five AK-47 rifles, 552 rounds of live ammunition, Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), several communication equipment, along eight operational motorcycles used by the group, were recovered from the scene.
“According to him, prior investigations had revealed the involvement of the group in several high-profile crimes, including the attack on the Owerri Correctional Centre on April 5, 2021.
“Adejobi further hinted that the neutralised terrorists were involved in the killing of five policemen in Umunna, Okigwe, on December 2022, and the burning of Arondizuogu Police Station on February 8, 2022.”
Kanu claimed these statements were defamatory, stating in the suit:
“The defamatory statements read by his brother and circle of friends in Abuja and Nigeria at large were false and constitute a grave libel on his person, as the words in their natural and ordinary meaning portrayed him as a leader of a violent and terrorist group.”
He further alleged that the statements depicted him as:
“An associate of violent criminals and terrorists who allegedly engaged in terrorist acts in Imo State; an irresponsible and violent person that has no regard for the sanctity of human lives; and a person who does not deserve justice in his cases pending in court, bordering on whether the IPOB is a terrorist group or not.”
Kanu argued that the statements implied he was “a leader of a terrorist movement that is to be vicariously blamed for alleged acts of terrorism in Imo State.”
He further asserted:
“The words were meant to call into question the Claimant’s honesty, personal integrity, and reputation. These defamatory and libellous statements go far beyond fair comment and are malicious and are designed specifically to impugn his person and character and they were made in bad faith.”
The suit contended that Adejobi’s publications were circulated globally, causing significant damage to Kanu’s character, reputation, and credibility, particularly in relation to his ongoing court cases.
Kanu is seeking several reliefs, including:
- A retraction of the publications through the same media, via a fresh press statement.
- An unreserved letter of apology, to be published as a full-page feature in The Sun, Daily Trust, and Vanguard newspapers.
- A perpetual injunction preventing Adejobi from making further defamatory statements about him.
- N20 billion in general and exemplary damages.
- Coverage of all legal costs associated with the suit.
The IPOB leader also requested any additional reliefs the court may deem appropriate in the circumstances.
