Ex-LG chairman sues Army for ₦2bn over wanted declaration

A former Caretaker Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, Lucky Okodeh, has sued the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of Army Staff, at a Federal High Court, Abuja, for wrongly publishing his face among those wanted in connection to the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama in Delta State.

Recall that on March 14, 2024, 17 officers of the Nigerian Army were murdered by unknown persons in Okuama in Delta State, causing the Defence Headquarters Abuja, to declare 8 persons wanted.

Though Okodeh’s name was not published, his photo was posted with a name which is not his, which he also said no member of his family or extended family bears.

Okodeh noted that this has cost him his political career as he had already been fronted as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, for the April 11, 2024, council elections, but after his face was published on a name that is not his, his party ( PDP) was forced to drop his name and substitute it with that of another candidate who is now enjoying the position and benefits of Chairman of Southern Ijaw.

Okodeh, on this note, asked the court to set aside the wanted declaration and award the sum of two billion naira as compensation for damages suffered over the action of the Defence Headquarters Abuja, which has affected his political career and also made him to go into hiding.

The aggrieved claimant also wants the court to put the matter to rest and cause the defendants to tender an apology which is to be published on both print and electronic media, so that he can have the freedom to live his normal life.

Although the matter was fixed for mention today, Monday, July 1, 2024, the case was fixed for another date as the court did not sit.

Counsel to the claimant, Femi Falana, and the counsel to the Nigerian Army, Mike Ebah, all made appearances in the court – only to be told that the presiding judge, Justice B.M. Nyako, was attending a conference and was not on seat, and both counsels agreed that the matter be shifted to October 17, 2024, for mention.

Other prayers sought in the suit are that the Federal High Court should restrain the first and second defendants (the Chief of Defence Staff, Armed Forces of Nigeria, and the Chief of Army Staff, the Nigerian Army) perpetually from arresting him or sending anyone on their behalf to carry out or enforce the directive; as the plaintiff is a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria who has never had any criminal record right from childhood.