The Indigenous People of Biafra led by Nnamdi Kanu has sued the factional leader of the group, Simon Ekpa, over the declaration of sit-at-home in the South East.
This was let out by Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor in a Facebook post. Ekpa is the leader of a breakaway group, Autopilot Indigenous People of Biafra. Ejiofor who reacted on Tuesday to Ekpa’s sit-at-home order explained that the suit was in response to his (Ekpa) “disturbing and false” declarations in the region.
“Today (Tuesday), we formally commenced a legal action before the FCT High Court against Simon Ekpa, which action is founded on a plethora of grave infractions arising from his violent, disturbing and false declarations,” he said, without giving details.
Ejiofor said he could not give details of the suit as doing so would “prejudice the robust legal actions already lined up for him (Ekpa) and his cohorts”.
According to a writ of summon dated 13 December which Ejiofor posted on Facebook, Ekpa and four others are defendants in the suit. The four others are Juliet Anibueze, Obinna Victor Uzoaganaobi, Livingstone Chukwuemeka and Raphael Chiamaka Ajaere.
The summon says: “You are commanded that within 30 days after the service of this writ on you, inclusive of the day of such service, you do cause an appearance to be entered for you in an action at the suit of Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq. and take notice that in default, the claimant may proceed, and judgment may be given in your absence.”
The defendants may enter an appearance personally or by a legal practitioner, either by handing in the appropriate forms or by registered post to the high court of the judicial division, where the action was brought, according to the information contained in the writ. The forms, according to the writ, must be duly completed at the registry of the court of the judicial division.
Ekpa had on December 7, declared a five-day sit-at-home across the south-east region to be observed December 9 to 14. Ekpa who gave the order via his verified Twitter handle said the action was a response to some “proactive measures” being put in place by unnamed Biafra agitators to address the rising insecurity in the region, which according to him, was caused by the Nigerian government.
He warned residents of the region to stay indoors throughout the five days or have themselves to blame if they disobey the order. Reports said residents have been attacked for stepping out of their homes during the ongoing five-day sit-at-home order by gunmen enforcing the order.
But Kanu-led IPOB disowned the declaration and asked residents of the region to ignore it. This is not the first time Ekpa would be declaring sit-at-home since Kanu was arrested in Kenya last year and brought to face trial in Nigeria.
Commenting further on the suit, Ejiofor said: “I want assure Simon Ekpa and his cohorts affected by this compelling legal action, that no matter the country you people believe to be presently hiding under its sovereign protection, the full arms of the law shall certainly catch up with you all, in this legal onslaught already commenced.” He disclosed that the legal action was only one “in the long line of compelling civil and criminal litigations” on the way of the defendants.