Defamation: Court Awards N5.5m Damages To Kanu’s Lawyer

The Federal Capital Territory (FCTA) High Court, Abuja has awarded N5.5 million as damages to Ifeanyi Ejiofor, the lawyer to the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.

Ejiofor had dragged a human rights activist and executive director of Due Process Advocates, Emeka Ugwuonye, to the court demanding N5.1billion alleged defamatory publication.

One of the defamatory materials was said to have been published and circulated to third parties on the internet on February 5, 2022, and continued till February 8, 2022.

On June 8, 2023, Justice Njideka Nwosu-Iheme, gave judgement in favour of Kanu’s lawyer.

The court found and held that all the publications made by the said Emeka Ugwuonye were false and an unjustifiable attack on my reputation; and thus, injurious to his office, profession and calling.

The court consequently ordered “That the publications variously made by the Defendant (Emeka Ugwuonye) of and concerning the Claimant (Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor) on the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th and 12th of February, 2022, the particulars of which are contained in the Statement of Claim, are defamatory of the Claimant (Sir Ejiofor).

“The defendant (Emeka Ugwuonye) to forthwith publish a full retraction of the utterly libelous publications and an unqualified apology to the Claimant (Sir ifeanyi Ejiofor) in at least three national newspapers with nationwide circulation, including Punch, Daily Times and Premium Times.

“The defendant (Emeka Ugwuonye) to Forthwith publish a written undertaking not to publish any similar or further libel of and concerning the claimant (Sir Ejiofor).

“Perpetual injunction restraining the defendant (Emeka Ugwuonye) his agents, associates, privies and/or proxies howsoever called, from publishing any similar or further libel of and concerning the Claimant (Sir Ejiofor).

“The sum of N5 million only as general and exemplary damages and N500,000 being the cost of this action.”

Responding to the judgment, Ejiofor said he was assured that the judgment shall be executed to the letter.

“I immensely thank my colleagues in chambers and Barr Maxwell Opara, who worked assiduously to secure this victory,” he said.