A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, has granted an interlocutory injunction restraining a former Abia State Commissioner for Information, Barr. Eze Chikamnayo, from making or publishing alleged defamatory statements against Abia State Governor, Alex Chioma Otti, pending the determination of a ₦100 billion defamation suit filed by the governor.
Justice J.E. Obanor, in a ruling delivered on Thursday, ordered Chikamnayo to desist from writing, authoring, sharing, circulating, broadcasting, voicing, forwarding or syndicating any defamatory content against the claimant on his Facebook page, Iyierioba Chikamnayo, or on any other social or digital media platforms, including X, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp and TikTok. The order also covers traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge said that having carefully considered the application and all the processes before the court, and in the absence of any challenge to the motion, the court was satisfied that the interlocutory order ought to be granted. He accordingly granted Motion No. M/15807/2025 as prayed.
The court adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for hearing.
The ruling followed a motion on notice filed by Otti’s legal team, led by Dr. Sonny Ajala, SAN, accusing Chikamnayo of continuing to publish offensive materials against the governor despite being served with court processes on October 17, 2025.
Court documents alleged that Chikamnayo published a series of posts on his Facebook page between October 17 and October 31, 2025, after being served with the originating processes in the suit. Some of ...s were said to have described the governor in derogatory terms.
In an affidavit in support of the motion, deposed to by Ifeanyi Michael Agbo, Practice Manager at Deeplaw Associates, the governor’s legal team stated that the defendant, a legal practitioner, continued to publish offensive materials against the claimant despite being aware of the pending suit.
The affidavit further alleged that the publications were intended to damage the governor’s reputation and incite public hostility against him.
In a written address, Otti’s counsel argued that the continued publications violated the doctrine of sub judice, which prohibits actions or statements capable of prejudicing matters pending before a court. Counsel also submitted that the conduct contravened Rule 30 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023, which requires lawyers to refrain from acts that may obstruct or adversely affect the administration of justice.
The substantive suit, filed on October 8, 2025, followed a demand letter dated October 2, 2025, seeking a retraction of the alleged defamatory publications. The defendant allegedly failed to comply within the stipulated seven days.
In the suit, Otti is seeking a declaration that his reputation, goodwill and standing were gravely injured by the alleged false and malicious publications. He is also claiming ₦100 billion as damages for reputational injury, as well as psychological and emotional trauma.
The governor is further asking the court to compel the defendant to publish an unreserved apology on his Facebook page and in selected national newspapers, an order of perpetual injunction restraining further defamatory publications, and ₦250 million as cost of the action.
Earlier, on October 16, 2025, Justice Obanor had granted leave for substituted service of court processes on Chikamnayo through his Facebook page, phone number and WhatsApp number, after the court was informed that those were the channels through which he could be reached. The defendant was ordered to enter an appearance within 30 days of service or risk judgment being entered in his absence.