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 allegedly defamatory comments against Governor Alex Otti, pending the determination of a ₦100bn 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 and/or syndicating” any defamatory content against the claimant on his Facebook wall, Iyierioba Chikamnayo, or on any other social or digital media platforms, including X, Instagram, Telegram, WhatsApp and TikTok, as well as traditional media such as newspapers, radio and television, pending the determination of the substantive suit.
The judge stated: “Having carefully considered the application and all the processes before the Court, and there being no process challenging the same, I am satisfied as to the need to grant the interlocutory order sought.
Motion No. M/15807/2025 is hereby granted, and the orders are accordingly made as prayed, pending the determination of the substantive suit.”
The court adjourned the matter to January 19, 2026, for hearing.
The ruling followed a motion on notice filed by Governor 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.
According to court documents, Chikamnayo allegedly 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 the posts allegedly 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, described as a legal practitioner, continued to publish offensive materials against the claimant despite being aware of the pending lawsuit.
The affidavit further alleged that the publications were intended to cause reputational damage and incite public hostility against the governor.
In a written address accompanying the motion, 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.
Dr Ajala also submitted that the conduct complained of contravened Rule 30 of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023, which enjoins 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, requesting a retraction of the alleged defamatory publications, which the defendant allegedly failed to comply with within the stipulated seven days.
In the suit, Governor Otti is seeking a declaration that his reputation, goodwill and standing have been gravely injured by the alleged false and malicious publications.
He is also claiming ₦100bn as damages for reputational injury, psychological and emotional trauma.
The governor is further asking the court to compel the defendant to tender an unreserved apology to be published on his Facebook page and in selected national newspapers, as well as an order of perpetual injunction restraining further defamatory publications and ₦250m as the cost of the action.
Earlier, on October 16, 2025, Justice Obanor had granted leave to serve court processes on Chikamnayo through substituted means, including his Facebook wall and phone 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.
