The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a lawsuit at the High Court of Enugu State against Bashir Ahmad, the former Special Assistant on Digital Communication to ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, over alleged defamation relating to terrorism.
Kanu, through his legal team led by his Special Counsel, Barrister Aloy Ejimakor, stated in his claim that on or around January 19, 2025, Ahmad defamed and libeled him through statements published on the X platform (formerly Twitter).
He said Ahmad’s statement was re-published on Talkofnaija.com and phoenix-browser.com, adding that the former presidential aide falsely stated, “Anybody advocating for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, a terrorist and the leader of the proscribed terrorist organization IPOB, should be considered a sworn enemy of this country.”
It was reported that Ahmad claimed anyone supporting Nnamdi Kanu’s release should be considered an enemy of the nation.
In a post on his X account on Sunday, Ahmad referred to Kanu as a terrorist and described those advocating for his release as “sworn enemies of this country.”
Ahmad further stated that he would only support Kanu’s release if the separatist leader agreed to undergo rehabilitation and renounce his derogatory statements about Nigeria and its people.
“I can only advocate for his release when he is truly rehabilitated, so he stops seeing Nigeria as a zoo and the citizens as animals that deserve to be brutally killed,” Ahmad stated.
In the court document obtained by SaharaReporters on Tuesday, Kanu demanded N100 million in damages.
The IPOB leader further claimed in the suit that the defamatory statements constitute a grave libel on his person, as the words in their natural and ordinary meaning portrayed him as, “A convict who has been pronounced guilty for the crime of terrorism.
“A terrorist or a felon who engages in an act of terrorism.
“An irresponsible and violent person that has no regards for the sanctity of human lives.
“An irresponsible person that has no regards for the sanctity of being granted bail.”
He said the said words in their natural and ordinary meaning were meant and were understood to mean that he is a terrorist and that the words were meant to call into question his honesty, personal integrity and reputation.
The suit added, “That the Claimant states that these defamatory and libellous statements go far beyond fair comment and are malicious and are designed specifically to impugn his person and character.
“That the Defendant’s libelous publications and utterances were circulated and read by millions of people around the world particularly in Enugu and Nigeria where the Claimant has many friends, family, colleagues, admirers, mentees, well-wishers and millions of followers.
“That the Defendant’s libelous publications and utterances have seriously injured the Claimant’s character, credit, reputation and integrity.
“That the Defendant has by his defamatory publications brought the Claimant to scandal, contempt, odium, public humiliation and embarrassment for which he is entitled to monetary damages, injunctive relief and apology among others.
“That unless restrained and otherwise sanctioned by this Honorable Court, the Defendant will continue to assassinate the character of the Claimant by way of issuing defamatory and/or similar and/or related statements against the Claimant.
“That by the reasons of each or all of the matters aforesaid, the Claimant has suffered and will continue to suffer loss, damage and/or injury to his feelings, reputation and social standing, having been brought into public scandal, contempt, odium and disrepute.”
As a result, Kanu asked the court to declare that the defendant’s published remarks implying that the claimant is a terrorist, which was posted on the aforementioned X App (previously Twitter), Talkofnaija.com, and phoenix-browser.com, are defamatory and libellous.
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