Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB), has filed a lawsuit against Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), alleging defamation.
Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, filed the suit at a federal capital territory (FCT) high court, accusing Adejobi of portraying Kanu as a terrorist leader in a press statement issued on January 25.
In the statement, Adejobi described IPoB as “a proscribed terrorist organisation” and claimed that operatives of the Imo police command neutralized six “notorious kingpins” belonging to the Eastern Security Network (ESN) and IPoB.
Kanu’s suit alleges that these statements were false and constitute a grave libel on his person, portraying him as a leader of a violent and terrorist group.
Kanu is seeking several reliefs, including:
- Retraction and Apology: A retraction of the publications through the same media, via a fresh press statement, and an unreserved letter of apology, to be published as a full-page feature in three national dailies.
- Perpetual Injunction: A perpetual injunction preventing Adejobi from making further defamatory statements about Kanu.
- Damages: N20 billion in general and exemplary damages, as well as coverage of all legal costs associated with the suit.
