Detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a N60 billion defamation suit against social critic, Reno Omokri, over claims linking him and IPOB to violent crimes.

The suit, filed on 31 July at the Enugu State High Court, alleges that Omokri, in a 6 July post on his X handle, accused Kanu and IPOB of killing security operatives and masterminding attacks by “unknown gunmen” in the South-east.

Kanu, who has been on trial for terrorism at the Federal High Court in Abuja since his 2021 repatriation from Kenya, said the publication portrays him as a terrorist and criminal, despite no court conviction for such acts.

Through his lawyer, P.N. Agazie, Kanu said a pre-action notice was issued on 10 July demanding a retraction, apology, and an undertaking to desist from further publications. Omokri allegedly ignored the notice.

In the suit, Kanu seeks N50 billion in general damages for harm to his reputation and N10 billion as aggravated damages.

He also wants a public apology and retraction published in two national dailies and on Omokri’s social media, plus a perpetual injunction stopping further defamatory content.

The court is yet to fix a hearing date.