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Nnamdi Kanu Drags FPRO Adejobi to Court for Defamation, Demands N20bn Damages

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Detained leader of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has dragged the Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, to court for accusing the group of killings in Imo State and other parts of the South-East region.

In the libel suit filed before the FCT High Court in Abuja on Tuesday by his legal team led by his Special Counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, Kanu is demanding N20 billion in damages as well as a retraction of the accusations.

The IPOB leader also warned that any security agency or individual directly or indirectly peddling propaganda against IPOB will be sued to compel such an entity or individual to come to court and present their evidence.

Ejimakor who shared details of the suit on his X account on Tuesday night, stated that the detained IPOB leader accused Adejobi of defaming him by calling him and IPOB a terrorist and a terrorist group in a media publication by Vanguard Newspaper on January 25, 2025, titled, “Imo: Police neutralise six IPOB/ESN terrorists, recover arms”.

The lawyer said it was out of place for the police spokesman to label Kanu a terrorist or IPOB a terrorist group as, according to him, a competent high court had held in October 2022 that the Federal Government breached the Constitution in labeling IPOB a terrorist group and that the group was discriminatorily targeted because its membership is populated by the Igbo.

He said, “Earlier today, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s legal team issued a Writ of Summons against ACP OLUMUYIWA ADEJOBI, the Police Public Relations Officer in a Suit for defamation brought on behalf of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Ejimakor wrote.

“The Suit was filed at the FCT high court for ACP Adejobi’s widely published defamatory utterances, claiming that those killed by police in Owerri three days ago are IPOB members.

“In issuing instructions to file this suit, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu made it very clear that any security agency and others engaging in media trial of his person (directly or indirectly) or peddling propaganda against IPOB will be sued to enable such an entity come to court to present their evidence.

“This is especially compelling as these false narratives can turn prejudicial against Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB which still have pertinent cases pending in court.

“To this end, media houses are hereby encouraged to verify the accuracy of these anti-IPOB, anti-Nnamdi Kanu, anti-Igbo defamatory statements issuing from security agencies that beat their chests and leave the uncanny impression that they are somehow benefiting from stoking insecurity and panic by way of needless propaganda.

“For avoidance of doubt, a competent high court had held in October 2022 that the Federal Government blatantly breached the Constitution in tagging IPOB a terrorist group and that the group was discriminatorily targeted because its membership is populated by the Igbo.

“Therefore, this tendency by security agencies to tag every criminal element encountered in Southeast as IPOB must stop forthwith. If it does not, we shall take prompt vigorous legal steps to protect the name of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and that of Ndigbo who are collectively defamed by this false and libelous narrative.

“To keep tagging every criminal encountered in Southeast as IPOB exhibits a false narrative that defames not only Nnamdi Kanu but the entire Igbo.

“The statements are false and constitute a grave libel on his person, as the words in their natural and ordinary meaning portray him as a leader of a violent and terrorist group.

“The said words in their natural and ordinary meaning were meant and were understood to mean that the Claimant is in fact a leader of a terrorist movement that is to be vicariously blamed for alleged acts of terrorism in Imo State.

“That the words were meant to call into question the Claimant’s honesty, personal integrity and reputation.

“That the Claimant states that these defamatory and libelous 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.

“Kanu, therefore, prayed the court for a declaration that Adejobi’s published statements or utterances are libelous and defamatory.

“He also sought an order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant to retract the said publications through other publications through the same media by way of issuance of another press statement.

“An Order of this Honorable Court directing the Defendant to write and deliver to the Claimant, an unreserved letter of apology. The letter of apology shall be prominently and boldly published full-page in three (3) national dailies, namely: then SUN, Daily Trust and Vanguard.

“An Order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from further and forever uttering the said defamatory and libelous words about or concerning the Claimant.

“An Order of this Honorable Court directing the Defendant to pay to the Claimant the sum of N20,000,000,000 being general and exemplary damages.

“An Order of this Honorable Court directing the Defendant to pay the cost of this Suit.”

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Hakeem Baba-Ahmed Dumps Tinubu’s Appointment As Political Adviser

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Dr Hakeem Baba-Ahmed, the political adviser to President Bola Tinubu, has resigned his appointment.

Reports say the former spokesman of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) tendered his resignation about two weeks ago.

Further reports quoting presidency sources did not, however, provide details of the reasons for his decision, but only stated that it was on personal grounds.

Baba-Ahmed was appointed in September 2023 as Special Adviser on Political Matters in the Office of Vice President Kashim Shettima.

Over the past 17 months, he had represented the presidency at several public fora, including a recent national conference themed: “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathway to Good Governance and Political Integrity”, which held from January 28 and 29, 2025 in Abuja.

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Court Stops Pro-Wike Rally in Bayelsa

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The High Court of Bayelsa State sitting in Yenagoa has issued an order restraining associates of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, from holding a mega rally in the South-South State pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The proposed rally was scheduled for Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, on April 12, 2025.

Hon. Justice I. A Uzakah granted the motion ex-parte in Suit No. BYHC/YHC/CV/133/2025 was filed by the state’s Attorney General, Biriyai Dambo (SAN).

“An order of the interim injunction is hereby made or granted restraining the 1st and 2nd Defendants, whether by themselves, their agents, associates, privies, representatives (or any person whatsoever acting at their behest), from conducting, convening, coordinating, engaging in, organizing, participating in, holding, hosting, or facilitating any political assembly, rally meeting, or gathering within Bayelsa State, for the purpose of solidarity, hosting, and celebrating the 2nd Defendant in Bayelsa State, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice for Interlocutory Injunction,” the court order read.

The matter has been adjourned to April 11, 2025, for hearing.

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LP National Chairmanship Tussle: Abure Sacked As Supreme Court Rules

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The Supreme Court has set aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal in Abuja recognising Julius Abure as the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP).

In a unanimous judgment, a five-member panel of the apex court held that the Court of Appeal lacked the jurisdiction to have pronounced Abure National Chairman of the Labour Party, after finding out earlier that the substance of the case was about the party’s leadership.

The apex court held that the issue of leadership was an internal affair of a party, over which courts lacks jurisdiction.

The court further allowed the appeal filed by Senator Nenadi Usman and one other, and held that it is meritorious.

It also proceeded to dismiss the cross-appeal filed by the Abure group of the Labour Party for being unmeritorious.

In January, the Court of Appeal in Abuja reiterated that Abure remained the chairman of the LP.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a judgment delivered by Justice Hamma Barka, held that its judgment of November 13, 2024, which recognises Abure as national chairman, subsists and has not been set aside by any court.

Justice Barka made the declaration while delivering judgment in two separate appeals filed by Senator Esther Nenadi Usman and the caretaker committee and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The appellate court in the two separate appeals held that it did not delve into the issue of the leadership of the Labour Party because such issues are not justiciable.

It said that anything done outside jurisdiction amounts to a nullity. Hence, the judgment of the Federal High Court delivered on October 8, 2024, by Justice Emeka Nwite is of no effect because it was delivered without jurisdiction.

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