The Federal High Court 1 in Owerri, Imo State, presided over by Justice I.N. Oweibo, has ruled in favor of Chika Edoziem, the Head of the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), dismissing all terrorism-related charges against him.
Court Declares Charges and Designation as “Illegal”
In Suit No: FHC/OW/FHR/29/2024, between Mazi Chika Edoziem vs. the Minister of Defence and Chief of Defence Staff, the court declared illegal and unconstitutional the Federal Government’s designation of Edoziem as a wanted person, terrorist, insurgent, kidnapper, and violent criminal.
Justice Oweibo ruled that the March 22, 2024 publication of Edoziem’s name and photograph in the Ministry of Defence’s First Edition of 2024, which labeled him as a security threat, was a gross violation of his constitutional rights to dignity.
The court ordered:
- Immediate retraction of Edoziem’s designation as a terrorist and wanted person.
- An unreserved public apology to Edoziem in two national newspapers.
- The payment of ₦5 million in damages for the infringement of his fundamental human rights.
Notably, Edoziem was the only individual among those listed in the government’s publication to successfully challenge the designation in court.
IPOB Counsel Hails “Landmark” Judgment
Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lead counsel for IPOB, described the ruling as historic, stating that it underscores the importance of due process and proper profiling in security matters.
“Security agencies must focus on identifying actual criminals rather than targeting innocent individuals. Tackling insecurity requires collective responsibility beyond just security forces,” Ejiofor said.
He expressed gratitude to his legal team, IPOB supporters, and Almighty God for the victory, emphasizing that the ruling was a strong statement against unjust profiling.
