Detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has slammed a ₦60 billion defamation lawsuit against social commentator and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, over allegations linking him and IPOB to violent crimes in Nigeria’s South-east.
The suit, filed on 31 July 2025 at the Enugu State High Court, stems from a post Omokri made on 6 July via his verified X (formerly Twitter) handle.
In the controversial post, Omokri reportedly accused Kanu and IPOB of orchestrating the killings of security operatives and masterminding attacks by “unknown gunmen” in the South-east.
Kanu, who is currently on trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja on terrorism-related charges following his 2021 repatriation from Kenya, argues that the publication falsely portrays him as a criminal and terrorist—despite no court conviction to support such claims.
Legal Breakdown
Kanu’s legal team, led by Barrister P.N. Agazie, stated that a pre-action notice was sent to Omokri on 10 July, demanding a public retraction, apology, and a formal undertaking to desist from making further defamatory claims.
However, the notice was allegedly ignored by Omokri.
Now, Kanu is seeking:
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₦50 billion in general damages for injury to his reputation,
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₦10 billion in aggravated damages,
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A public apology and retraction to be published in two national newspapers and on Omokri’s social media platforms, and
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A perpetual injunction restraining Omokri from making any similar defamatory statements.
Awaiting Court Hearing
The Enugu High Court is yet to fix a date for hearing the case.
This high-profile legal battle adds to the ongoing public debate surrounding the actions and image of both Kanu and IPOB, as well as Omokri’s often polarizing commentary on Nigerian politics and national security.
