The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPoB) Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a lawsuit against Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), over allegations of defamation. The legal action, initiated by Kanu’s lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, was submitted to a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on Tuesday, following comments made by Adejobi on January 25.
In the statement, Adejobi referred to Kanu and IPoB as a “proscribed terrorist organisation” and stated that six “notorious kingpins” associated with the group had been neutralized by the Imo Police Command.
Kanu, in his legal suit, contends that Adejobi’s statements were not only false but also damaging to his reputation. The suit claims that by labeling him as the leader of a violent and terrorist group, the police spokesperson severely injured Kanu’s character and standing, both in Nigeria and abroad. The defamatory comments, according to Kanu, were widely circulated and read by millions of people, including his family, friends, admirers, and followers. He asserts that the publicity surrounding Adejobi’s words has caused significant harm to his reputation, particularly in light of ongoing legal cases involving terrorism charges.
In his complaint, Kanu demands that Adejobi retract the defamatory statements through a follow-up press release and offer a public apology. He is seeking that the apology be prominently published in three major Nigerian newspapers: The Sun, Daily Trust, and Vanguard. Kanu also requests the court to issue an order preventing Adejobi from making further defamatory statements about him. Furthermore, the IPOB leader is seeking N20 billion in general and exemplary damages, which he claims would help restore the harm caused by the false statements, as well as cover the costs of the lawsuit.
This legal battle reflects the growing tension between Kanu and Nigerian authorities, particularly given the sensitive nature of his leadership of the separatist group, which has been at odds with the Nigerian government.
