PRESS RELEASE

 

The Federal High Court Sitting in Awka, Anambra State, Per: Honourable Justice H. A. Nganjiwa of Court No. 1, this morning, delivered a landmark Judgement in a Fundamental Rights Enforcement Suit filed in Suit No: FHC/AWK/CS/56/2021:

 

Between:

 

1. IFEANYI EJIOFOR, ESQ.
3. THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE
4. THE INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE
5. THE DEPARTMENT OF SECURITY SERVICES (DSS)
6. THE DIRECTOR GENERAL, DEPARTMENT OF SECURITY SERVICES (DSS)
7. THE NIGERIAN SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENSE CORPS
8. THE NIGERIAN ARMY 
9. THE CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF
10. CHUKWUKA CHIZOROM OFOEGBU (A.K.A. IJELE SPEAKS).

 

• In this landmark Judgement delivered this morning, being the 22^ndday of July 2022, the Learned Erudite Judge held and consequently, declared the brutal invasion of Mr. Ejiofor’s ancestral home in Oraifite on the 6^th day of June 2021, by the agents of the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu oppressive, and gross violation of his rights to life, dignity of human person, fair hearing, right to private and family life, etc.

 

• His Lordship further declared as illegal, oppressive and unlawful, the taking away and subsequent burning of Mr. Ejiofor’s Toyota Camry Car with Registration No. YAB 60 CB together with the corpse of Mr. Samuel Okoro, and other vital documents and valuables seized from his house by the agents of the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu.

 

• The Court further made Order and consequently, restrained the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu either directly or through their agents, privies, and howsoever called, from further harassing Mr. Ejiofor, threatening, and/or taking further steps in an attempt to terminate his life and/or destroying his properties.

 

• His Lordship further restrained the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu either directly or through their agents, privies and howsoever called, from further harassing, intimidating, and/or threatening to illegally arrest and torture Mr. Ejiofor.

 

• The Court further awarded against the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu jointly and severally, the sum of ₦100,000,000.00 (ONE HUNDRED MILLION NAIRA) as Compensatory and General Damages in Mr. Ejiofor’s favour, for the gross violation of his fundamental Rights.

 

• The Court also awarded against the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu, jointly and severally in Mr. Ejiofor’s favour, the sum of ₦5,000,000.00 (FIVE MILLION NAIRA) being the cost of his Toyota Camry car, which they burnt.

 

• The Court further awarded the sum of ₦2,000,000.00 (TWO MILLION NAIRA), being the cost of the Suit in favour of Mr. Ejiofor.

 

• The Learned Judge further directed the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and Chukwuka Chizorom Ofoegbu, to issue Public Apology to Mr. Ejiofor in Two National Dailies, for the gross violation of his Fundamental Rights.

 

• In further condemning the dastardly act of the Respondents/their Agents, His Lordship further directed the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Director General of the DSS to immediately identify their personnel involved in the gruesome act and appropriately, sanction them in line with the extant laws.

 

You will recall, in summary, that on the 6^th day of June 2021, being a Sunday, at about 2:30AM, Mr. Ejiofor’s peaceful home in Umunakwa Ifite, Oraifite, Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state, was invaded by the combined team of the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, the Nigerian Army and the Civil Defense, during which murderous invasion, Mr. Ejiofor’s Personal Assistant (Mr. Samuel Okoro) was murdered in cold blood by those monsters in security uniforms.

 

Those monsters did not stop at that, they proceeded to take delivery of Mr. Samuel Okoro’s corpse, dumped same in Mr. Ejiofor’s Toyota Camry Car booth, and abducted three of Mr. Ejiofor’s domestic staff, namely:

1. Okafor Lawrence Ugochukwu (gardener),
2. Felix Okonkwo (driver), and

• Ikenna Chibuike (steward), before they hurriedly left.

 

Mr. Ejiofor’s elder brother (Mr. Joel Ejiofor) was equally abducted in the process, but was later pushed out around Nnobi by the invading troops, before they left with Mr. Ejiofor’s domestic staff and the corpse of Mr. Samuel Okoro.

 

Those marauders made a brief stop at Neni town in Aniocha Local Government Area of Anambra State, immediately after Okacha Filling Station, where they set Mr. Ejiofor’s car ablaze with the corpse of Mr. Samuel Okoro inside. You may wish to watch the attached video clip and refresh your memories on the height of wickedness, and man’s inhumanity to man.

 

What was Mr. Ejiofor’s offense to deserve this level of brutality? No explanation. All the petitions Mr. Ejiofor wrote to the heads of the security agencies including; the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS and the Nigerian Army for a thorough investigation of this dastardly act were never attended to. Rather, all the security agents involved in these crimes against humanity have maintained sordid/disturbing silence till date. Today, Justice has prevailed and there is no hiding place again for any of those perpetrators, because this Judgement must be executed to the letter.

 

Interestingly, we can now authoritatively confirm to the World, that the three of Mr. Ejiofor’s domestic staff abducted during this bloody invasion of his ancestral home as above named, are being detained in solitary confinement at the facility of the DSS Headquarters, Abuja. Even though the DSS have repeatedly denied both in their Court affidavits and every of their correspondences, of holding Mr. Ejiofor’s domestic staff, compelling evidence available at our disposal is irresistibly pointing to the fact that they are being held in the DSS facility, which evidence was equally submitted before the Court.

 

May we respectfully, and strongly relying on the strength of this Judgement, call on the Director General (DG) of the Department of State Services (DSS), Abuja, to immediately direct for the unconditional release of Mr. Ejiofor’s above named domestic staff being held in their custody, and accordingly, comply with all terms of this Judgement.

 

Further to this demand, we wish to remind the DG of the DSS, who is also a party to this Suit, and well represented throughout the proceedings giving rise to this Judgement, to, in compliance with the positive Orders of the Court, direct for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the DSS personnel involved in this bloody invasion of Mr. Ejiofor’s ancestral home. We had before now, forwarded to the DSS, a clear clip of the CCTV footage of this bloody invasion of Mr. Ejiofor’s ancestral home, which showed the clear view of the invaders, as it would enable the DSS to identify their personnel involved, for necessary action.

 

Be assured that Judgement will soon be delivered on the other sister separate Suit, which we filed to challenge the extrajudicial killing of Mr. Ejiofor’s personal assistant, late Mr. Samuel Okoro, as well as other grave infractions.

 

May we seize this medium to most sincerely, thank Mr. Ejiofor’s hardworking staff, professional colleagues, Ezigbo UmuChineke, friends, the Press, family members and relatives for their various roles towards ensuring that justice prevailed in this case.

 

It is our honour to specially recognize the efforts of our indefatigable Head of Chambers, Chinwe Umeche, Esq., whose legal prowess was compelling in getting to this stage. Also, on the list are our erudite colleagues in Chambers, who never let Mr. Ejiofor down in their various roles.

 

We cannot conclude without mentioning Barristers Augustine Ezeokeke, Habila Turshak, Barbara Onwubiko, Udoka Nwanku, and other wonderful colleagues in Chambers who were relentless in ensuring that we got justice.

 

Our special thanks goes to our erudite Client and brother, the  indefatigable Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu), whose comforting words brought Mr. Ejiofor back from depression, at that critical time. The list is endless, but please be rest assured that we deeply appreciate all your support and efforts. May you all remain richly blessed.

 

We return all the Glory to the most High God, who has continued to sustain and keep Mr. Ejiofor alive, because the intendment of the enemies was to eliminate him in the process, but the anointed hands of God has always been upon him.

 

Thank you all and please join us in thanking the Almighty God for this deserved victory.

 

Surely, there is light at the end of the tunnel and this is a ray of hope for more victories ahead.

 

Signed:

Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, Esq.

22nd July 2022.