The Federal High Court in Abuja has postponed hearing a N2 billion lawsuit filed by Mr. Lucky Okodeh, a former Caretaker Chairman of Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, to November 28. The suit involves allegations against the Nigerian Army for wrongly associating him with the killing of 17 soldiers in Okuama, Delta State.
Okodeh is seeking compensation for the Army’s publication of his photograph among suspects wanted in connection with the soldiers’ deaths. Filed through his lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, the suit is before Justice Binta Nyako. Okodeh is demanding N2 billion in damages for the violation of his personal liberty and dignity.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/590/2024 and dated May 3, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) and Chief of Army Staff (CAS) are named as the first and second respondents. Okodeh’s legal team also requests the court to quash the declaration that wrongly linked him to the crime and compensate him for the harm caused to his political career.
The case stems from a March 14 incident where 17 Nigerian Army officers were killed in Okuama. In response, the Defence Headquarters declared eight people wanted. Although Okodeh’s name wasn’t included in the wanted list, his photograph appeared under a different name, one not associated with him or his family. Okodeh argues that the misidentification forced him to withdraw as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairmanship candidate for the April 11 local government elections in Bayelsa.
In addition to the financial compensation, Okodeh is seeking a perpetual injunction to prevent his arrest, stating that he is a law-abiding citizen with no criminal history. He also requests a public apology from the Nigerian Army, to be published in both print and electronic media, in order to restore his reputation.
At Thursday’s hearing, Justice Nyako adjourned the case after Okodeh’s counsel, Asmau Yunusa, requested more time to respond to a counter-affidavit filed by the CDS’s lawyer, Mimi Ayua. Yunusa informed the court that she received the affidavit on Wednesday and needed additional time to prepare her response. The second respondent, Chief of Army Staff Maj. Gen. Lagbaja, was not represented in court.
Justice Nyako advised both parties to seek an amicable resolution of the matter. She then scheduled the case for further mention on November 28 and ordered that the second respondent be served with a hearing notice.
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