Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a ₦60 billion lawsuit against social media personality Reno Omokri over what he described as defamatory and prejudicial comments linking him, IPOB, and the Igbo ethnic group to violence and terrorism.
Filed at the Enugu State High Court under Order 3, Rule 3, the suit lists Kanu, suing for himself and on behalf of the Indigenous People of Biafra, as the plaintiff, and Omokri as the defendant.
According to a statement of fact presented to the court, Kanu, a prominent pro-Biafra campaigner, said Omokri made the alleged defamatory remarks on 6 July 2025 through a post on his verified Twitter (X) account.
Stating the reason for his lawsuit, Kanu claimed the tweet accused him, IPOB, and the Eastern Security Network (ESN) of being behind the killings of security agents and other violent acts in the Southeast.
The tweet read: “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 argued that the statement was false and damaging, portraying him as a terrorist and criminal despite no court having convicted him of any such crimes.
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“The said statements are false, baseless, prejudicial, and defamatory, as they portray the Plaintiff as a criminal and a terrorist, thereby injuring his reputation, character, exposing him to public hatred, contempt, ridicule, and prejudicing his ongoing judicial proceedings in Charge No: FHC/ABJ/CR/383/15 pending at the Federal High Court Abuja,” the suit read.
He further told the court that the comments were not only misleading but amounted to contempt of court and violated his right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence under Nigeria’s Constitution.
Kanu, through his lawyer P. N. Agazie, said a pre-action notice dated 10 July 2025 was sent to Omokri demanding a retraction of the tweet in two national newspapers and on Omokri’s X account, a public apology, and a written promise not to publish similar remarks again. According to the plaintiff, Omokri ignored the notice.
The IPOB leader is now seeking ₦50 billion in general damages for defamation and another ₦10 billion in aggravated damages, citing the “malicious and reckless” nature of the publication.
He is also asking the court to compel Omokri to issue a retraction and apology in two national dailies and on his X page, as well as an order restraining him from making further similar comments.
The lawsuit also requests that Omokri pay legal costs and interest at 10 percent per annum from the date of judgment until full payment is made.