The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, has sued the Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja over alleged defamatory statements made against him in a press statement.
In a suit marked CR/267/2025, dated Tuesday, January 28, 2025, and filed through his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, the IPOB leader expressed displeasure over the press statement purportedly authored by Adejobi.
He argued that the statement defamed his character, amounting to libel.
Kanu claimed that the press release, with the headline, “Imo: Police neutralise six IPOB/ESN terrorists, recover arms.” issued by Adejobi on January 25 and circulated across media platforms, portrayed him as a terrorist leader by referring to IPOB as a proscribed terrorist organisation.
In the suit where Kanu is the claimant and Adejobi is the sole defendant, Kanu contended that “the defamatory statements, read by his brothers and a circle of friends in Abuja and across Nigeria, were false and constituted a grave libel against his person, as the words, in their natural and ordinary meaning, portrayed him as a leader of a violent and terrorist group.”
Kanu further claimed that the statement described him as a leader of a violent and terrorist group, an associate of violent criminals and terrorists allegedly involved in acts of terrorism in Imo State.
According to Kanu, the statement was meant and understood to portray him as the leader of a terrorist movement that could be held vicariously liable for alleged acts of terrorism in Imo.
He asserted that the words were also intended to damage his honesty, integrity and reputation.
“These defamatory and libellous statements go far beyond fair comment,” Kanu said, adding that they were “malicious, designed specifically to impugn his person and character, and made in bad faith.”
As a result, Kanu prayed the court to make the following declarations, “That the defendant’s statements or utterances are libellous and defamatory.
“That the defendant be directed to retract the publications through the same media outlets by issuing another press statement.
“That the defendant be directed to write and deliver an unreserved letter of apology to the claimant.
“That the letter of apology be prominently and boldly published full-page in three national dailies.”
It read further, “That the defendant be restrained by a perpetual injunction from further defamatory or libellous utterances against the claimant.
“That the defendant be ordered to pay the sum of N20,000,000,000 (Twenty billion naira) as general and exemplary damages.”
He also asked the court to order the defendant to bear the cost of the suit.