By Correspondent in Enugu.
The Leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has slammed a N60 billion lawsuit against social media influencer and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, over alleged defamatory statements.
The suit, filed on July 31, 2025, at the High Court of Enugu State by Kanu’s legal counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, seeks seven reliefs on behalf of both Kanu and IPOB. The case is marked: E/1034/2025, with Kanu listed as the sole plaintiff and Omokri as the sole defendant.
Kanu is demanding N50 billion in general damages for defamation, including injury to his reputation, emotional distress, and prejudice to ongoing judicial proceedings. He is also seeking N10 billion in aggravated damages for what he describes as the “malicious and reckless” publication of false statements.
Among the other reliefs sought are:
A court order compelling Omokri to publish a full retraction of the statements in two national newspapers and on his verified Twitter/X account within seven days of judgment;
A public apology, also in two national newspapers and on the same X handle, admitting to the misrepresentation of facts;
A perpetual injunction restraining Omokri or his agents from making further defamatory publications about him;
Legal costs, including filing fees and attorney expenses;
Interest on all monetary awards at 10 per cent per annum from the date of judgment until full payment.
In his statement of claim, Kanu alleged that on or about July 6, 2025, Omokri published on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account defamatory statements accusing him and IPOB of orchestrating violent attacks, including the killings of soldiers, police officers, and other security personnel in Southeast Nigeria. The post also linked IPOB and its security wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), with acts attributed to “unknown gunmen.”
The specific tweet cited in the suit was allegedly posted via this handle: https://x.com/renoomokri/status/1941731659499569534.
Omokri was quoted as stating:
“Do you know how many Nigerian soldiers, police officers, customs, immigration, and prison officers, as well as NSCDC servicemen and women, have been killed by IPOB, ESN, and Unknown Gunmen in the Southeast, of which the majority have been from Northern Nigeria?”
Kanu’s legal team argued that these statements are “false, baseless, and defamatory,” and portray him as a criminal and terrorist without legal justification or supporting evidence.
“The said publication injures the plaintiff’s reputation, subjects him to public hatred and contempt, and prejudices his ongoing trial in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15 currently before the Federal High Court, Abuja,” Ejimakor stated.
The suit further contends that as of July 6, 2025—the date of the alleged publication—no court in Nigeria had convicted Kanu of any offence related to the killing of security personnel or terrorism.
Kanu also accused Omokri’s post of constituting a prejudicial commentary on a matter sub judice, potentially amounting to contempt of court and a violation of his constitutional rights to fair hearing and presumption of innocence under Section 36(5) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
According to Kanu, his legal team had earlier issued a pre-action notice dated July 10, 2025, to Omokri, demanding a retraction, public apology, and a written undertaking to desist from further defamatory publications. Omokri, however, failed to comply, prompting the filing of the suit.
As of the time of filing this report, the case had not yet been assigned to a judge.
Edited by Dada Ahmed.
