Kanu sues Malami over alleged defamation of character, demands N20bn in damages

The embattled leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a N20 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja, against Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), Abubakar Malami (SAN), over alleged defamation of character.

Kanu who filed the lawsuit through his lead counsel, Aloy Ejimakor, noted that Malami had allegedly defamed his character in a publication where he (Malami) claimed that the Biafran agitator had earlier jumped bail and therefore, was not eligible for another bail.

Ejimakor who took to his verified Twitter page on Tuesday to share copies of the suit, stated that Malami’s alleged defamatory publication was injurious to Kanu’s pending cases.

“Last week, I filed a suit against AGF Malami to stop him from making any further defamatory publication that Onyendu #MNK jumped bail. Such publication is highly prejudicial & injurious to MNK’s other cases pending in various courts. It has to stop!” he wrote.

Read also:Kanu’s health worsening, may die in detention, medical group raises alarm

In the new lawsuit dated January 13, Kanu is demanding compensation on the alleged defamatory and libellous claims against him by the AGF

Parts of the claims read:

“A declaration of this Honorable Court that, in view of the Judgment of Abia State High Court, the Defendant’s published statements or utterances to the effect that Claimant jumped bail, as published in the Vanguard newspaper publication, are libelous and defamatory;

“An order of this Honourable Court directing the Defendant to retract the said Vanguard newspaper publication through another press statement to the Vanguard newspaper;

“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 two Nigerian Newspapers of national circulation, namely: Guardian Newspaper and Sun Newspaper.

“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 N20,000,000,000.00 (Twenty Billion Naira only) being general and exemplary damages.”

The lawsuit is coming on the heels of a earlier legal notice Ejimakor had issued on Malami last September, notifying the AGF of Kanu’s intention to take legal action against him for the “libelous statements that Kanu had jumped bail.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now