Kanu files N20bn suit against Malami over defamation claims

*Abubakar Malami, SAN

(Nigeria) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, has sued the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN,  over an alleged defamatory publication.

Kanu, through his lawyer, Aloy Ejimakor, stated that the AGF allegedly defamed the IPOB leader when he claimed that the latter jumped bail, and had asked for N20billion for damages.

Ejimakor, who shared copies of the suit on his Twitter page on Tuesday, noted that Malami’s defamatory publication was injurious to Kanu’s pending cases.

The lawyer tweeted, “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!”

In the suit, dated January 13, Kanu demanded compensation following alleged defamatory and libelous claims against him.

The claimant (Kanu) in the suit demanded, “a declaration of this court that, given the said Judgment of Abia State High Court, the defendant’s published statements or utterances to the effect that claimant jumped bail, as published in the said Vanguard newspaper publication, are libelous and defamatory;

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

“An order of this 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 court directing the defendant to pay to the claimant the sum of N20billion only)being general and exemplary damages.”

In September 2022, Ejimakor, on Kanu’s behalf, served notice on Malami, notifying him of his (Ejimakor’s) intention to take legal action against him for his “defamatory and libelous statements that #MNK jumped bail.”