Detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a ₦60 billion defamation suit against political commentator Reno Omokri, accusing him of making defamatory and prejudicial statements.
The lawsuit, filed on 31 July at the Enugu State High Court, was brought by Mr. Kanu on behalf of himself and IPOB. Mr. Omokri is the sole defendant.
According to court documents obtained by Premium Times, Mr. Kanu—who is currently facing terrorism charges at the Federal High Court in Abuja—alleges that Mr. Omokri falsely associated him and IPOB with violent attacks and killings in Nigeria’s South-east region.
Through his lawyer, P.N. Agazie, Mr. Kanu said a pre-litigation notice was sent to Mr. Omokri on 10 July 2025, demanding a retraction, public apology in two national newspapers, and a written undertaking to refrain from further defamatory publications. The suit followed Mr. Omokri’s failure to respond.
The case centers on a 6 July 2025 post on Mr. Omokri’s X (formerly Twitter) handle, in which he allegedly accused Mr. Kanu and IPOB of being behind the killings of security personnel and the operations of “unknown gunmen” in the region. Mr. Omokri also reportedly claimed that IPOB’s Eastern Security Network (ESN) was involved in terrorist activities.
Mr. Kanu argues that the statements are “false, baseless, prejudicial, and defamatory,” portraying him as a criminal and terrorist, and damaging his reputation, character, and ongoing legal proceedings.
He emphasized that he has not been convicted by any Nigerian court for terrorism or the murder of security personnel.
“The defendant’s publication constitutes prejudicial commentary on the plaintiff’s pending judicial proceedings, amounting to contempt of court and a violation of the plaintiff’s right to a fair hearing and presumption of innocence under Section 36(5) of the Nigerian Constitution,” Mr. Kanu stated.
He is seeking ₦50 billion in general damages for reputational harm and emotional distress, plus ₦10 billion in aggravated damages for what he described as a malicious and reckless publication.
Additionally, Mr. Kanu is requesting a court order compelling Mr. Omokri to publish a retraction and apology—within seven days of the judgment—in two national newspapers and on his X account. He also seeks a perpetual injunction preventing Mr. Omokri and his associates from making further defamatory statements.
The court is yet to fix a hearing date for the case.
Mr. Kanu was extradited from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021 under controversial circumstances. He has been on trial for terrorism-related offenses. IPOB, which campaigns for the secession of the South-east and South-south regions to form an independent Biafran state, has repeatedly denied involvement in violent attacks.
