Renowned Facebook influencer Ogeche Njaka has filed a lawsuit against Maryam Shehu, the Nigeria Police, and the FG, seeking significant relief and compensation of up to $100 million. In two separate applications submitted to the ECOWAS Court—one initiating application and another seeking immediate interim reliefs—Njaka’s suit, numbered ECE/CCJ/APP/18/2024, requests the ECOWAS Court to invalidate the wanted notice issued by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the Interpol unit declaring her wanted.
Njaka accuses the respondents of publishing and declaring her wanted via an official gazetted police release, placing her name and picture on the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) notice board without a valid court order. The suit names the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Interpol, the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), and Maryam Shehu as respondents.
In her new suit filed at the ECOWAS Court, Njaka seeks relief against these parties for allegedly violating her fundamental human rights, including the presumption of innocence, the right to a fair hearing, and her right to personal liberty. Filed through her Nigeria-based lawyer, the suit requests the ECOWAS Court in Abuja to compel the FG and other respondents to pay her $100 million for the “physical, mental, emotional, psychological, and other damages” she suffered due to the alleged infringements on her constitutional and recognized rights.
Additionally, Njaka asks the court to annul the online wanted notice and the Nigeria Police/Interpol’s special gazetted notice declaring her wanted for a non-criminal offense related to defamation issues between her and Maryam Shehu, in which the Nigeria Police involved themselves.
