Court Acquits IPOB Leader of Terrorism Charges, Orders FG to Pay N5M in Damages

Justice I.N. Oweibo of the Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, has acquitted Chika Edoziem, the Head of the Directorate of State for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), of all charges related to terrorism, insurgency, kidnapping, and violent criminal activities.

Edoziem, who holds a prominent position within IPOB, second only to its detained leader Nnamdi Kanu, had previously been declared wanted and labeled a security threat in a government publication.

In a ruling on the case between Edoziem and the Minister of Defence, along with the Chief of Defence Staff, Justice Oweibo stated that branding Edoziem as a wanted person and associating him with terrorism and other crimes was unlawful and violated his fundamental rights.

The judge further held that the inclusion of Edoziem’s name and photograph in the Ministry of Defence’s March 22, 2024, publication had been carried out in blatant disregard of his constitutionally protected right to dignity, rendering the action unconstitutional.

As a result, Justice Oweibo ordered the Minister of Defence and the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately retract the declaration, issue a public apology in two national newspapers, and pay Edoziem N5 million in damages for the violation of his fundamental rights.