The Federal High Court 1 in Owerri, Imo State, under the leadership of Hon. Justice I.N. Oweibo, has ruled in favor of Chika Edoziem, the Head of the Directorate of State for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), dismissing charges of terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, and violent criminal activities. In a significant ruling on Suit No: FHC/OW/FHR/29/2024, Justice Oweibo declared the designation of Edoziem as a terrorist, insurgent, and violent criminal by the Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff to be “illegal.”
The judgment followed the March 22, 2024, publication by the Ministry of Defence, which had included Edoziem’s name and photograph in a list of security threats. The court found that this was a direct violation of Edoziem’s constitutionally protected rights to dignity, deeming the publication unconstitutional.
In addition to declaring the actions unconstitutional, the court ordered the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff to retract the defamatory statements, issue a public apology in two national newspapers, and pay Edoziem ₦5 million in damages for the infringement on his rights.
Edoziem, who ranks just below the detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, was the only individual on the list who successfully challenged the claims in court.
IPOB’s lead counsel, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, praised the court’s decision, calling it a historic and landmark judgment. He emphasized that it sent a strong message against unjust profiling and underlined the importance of proper due process in security matters. Ejiofor also stressed the need for security agencies to focus on profiling actual criminals, rather than targeting innocent citizens, and called for collective efforts to tackle insecurity.
Ejiofor extended his gratitude to his legal team and supporters, thanking the peaceful IPOB members for their dedication. He concluded by acknowledging the role of divine guidance in securing the victory, stating, “Justice has prevailed.”
