Former presidential aide, Reno Omokri, has strongly criticized a N50 billion defamation lawsuit filed against him by Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), calling it “frivolous” and “an abuse of court processes.”
Filed at the Enugu High Court, the lawsuit accuses Omokri of publishing malicious and false claims that allegedly damaged Kanu’s reputation.
The IPOB leader is seeking N10 billion in aggravated damages, a public apology in two national newspapers, and a full retraction posted on Omokri’s social media account.
Kanu, through an affidavit submitted by his brother, Emmanuel Kanu, argues that Omokri’s statements painted him as a criminal and terrorist, thereby harming his public image.
The statements in question stem from a July 6 post on X (formerly Twitter), in which Omokri claimed that Kanu and IPOB were responsible for attacks on security personnel and acts of violence by so-called unknown gunmen.
In a reaction published by Sunday PUNCH, Omokri stood by his claims, stating they were based on publicly available evidence, including voice recordings and social media posts. He insisted that associating Kanu with violence is not defamatory, as it reflects the IPOB leader’s own public statements and broadcasts.
“Kanu is the head of an organization the Nigerian government has declared a terrorist group,” Omokri said.
“In an October 2020 Radio Biafra broadcast, he incited followers to attack infrastructure and security personnel.”
Omokri quoted the alleged broadcast where Kanu reportedly urged followers to “set Murtala Muhammed Airport on fire,” and cited past posts where Kanu allegedly threatened violence against Nigerian troops.
According to Omokri, such remarks had real-world consequences, referencing a June 2, 2021 tweet later deleted by Twitter where Kanu allegedly warned that any army sent to Biafraland would be killed.
Omokri said he is ready to provide forensic voice analysis and witnesses to support his claims in court, maintaining that the lawsuit is a desperate attempt to silence criticism.
Advertisement
