…..Seeks N5b Damages
An Enugu-based estate developer, Mr. Kingsley Nebo, has filed a N5 billion lawsuit against Linda Ikeji TV Limited; Managing Director Afia TV, Chief Emeka Mba, and 19 other individuals and social media influencers over alleged defamation.
The suit, marked E/1286/2025, was filed on October 8, 2025, at the Enugu Judicial Division of the Enugu State High Court.
The defendants include six leaders of the Etiti Village Ngwo autonomous community, who are being sued for themselves and on behalf of the entire community. Nebo is seeking damages for alleged defamatory publications made against him on various social media platforms.
Specifically, the plaintiff claims that the defendants’ posts on Facebook and other social media handles, including X (formerly Twitter), constitute an act of defamation actionable in law.
Among other reliefs the plaintiff claims are: “A declaration that the publications respectively made by the defendants against the plaintiff on the 6th day of October 2025 at their respective Facebook Pages and other websites and social media handles, such as X (formerly known as Twitter), constitute an act of defamation of the character of the plaintiff which is actionable in law.
“An Order directing the defendants to respectively make a written apology to the plaintiff to be published in two national newspapers circulating throughout Nigeria and in Enugu in particular as well as in all social media platforms of the defendants.
“An Order for the sum of Five Billion Naira Only (N5,000,000,000.00) as damages in favour of the plaintiff and against the defendants.
“And for such further order or other orders as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance,” it read.
Other Defendants listed in the suit are: Alex Onyia; Okenyi Kenechi; Sen. Chijinkem Ugwuanyi; Emmanuel Eneh; Uche Nworah; Emeka Mba (Doing Media Business with the name “Afia TV”); Maria Ude Nwachi; Chizitere Ahubelem; Ndulue David; Coal City Connect Entertainment Ltd; Ngene James Uchenna; Nnaji Emeka Jeremiah; Linda Ikeji TV Limited; Uche John; Amanda Chisom as 1st to 15th first set of Defendants.
The second set of Defendants are Onyebuchi Ugwu; Christian Onyia; Daniel Eze; Obinna Onyia; Nnaemeka Chime and Isaiah Nwangwu (for themselves and on behalf of the entire people of the Etiti Village Ngwo).
A date has not been fixed for the hearing of the case, and the defendants have been summoned to enter their appearance within 42 days.
This high-profile case highlights the growing concerns over social media abuse and defamation in Nigeria.
Mr Nebo, had earlier in the week raised alarm over a clandestine plot to eliminate him by some leaders of the Etiti Ngwo autonomous community.
According to Nebo, the community leaders are trying to confiscate his landed property, which he purchased from the community.
Nebo had narrated how he was framed up in a murder case he had no knowledge of by the leadership of the community and arrested by policemen from the Force Headquarters.
He alleged that he was abducted and taken to the SWAT office, where he was tortured for two weeks and forced to sign a prepared statement under duress.
“During the torture, some of the Etiti Ngwo leaders, including Daniel Ezeh, Onyebuchi Ugwu, and Obinna Onyia, participated in the physical torture while taking videos and pictures of the assault, which they posted on social media platforms,” Nebo said.
He had also claimed that after their efforts to get the police to remand him in prison, so that they can have unfiltered access to sell his property, they now resorted to social media smear campaigns to tarnish his reputation and image, “attempting to portray me as a criminal instead of the victim I truly am.”
