A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has ordered a former minister for information, Chief Frank Nweke Jnr, and two other members of Ishi-Ozalla Community in Nkanu West local government area of Enugu State to pay N5 million as general damages for excommunicating and ostracising Mr. Christian Uzochukwu and his Edeaniagu village of the community as non-indigenes.

The court also ordered the respondents to write to the applicant a public apology in a national daily as a result of their actions.

The fine was as a result of a suit filed against Sir Willy Chukwuani, Christopher Nwanyanwu, and Chief Frank Nweke Jnr., by Mr. Christian Uzochukwu of Edeaniagu village in Ishi-Ozalla Community, with the Suit No: FHC/EN/CS/40/2023.

In the suit, Uzochukwu challenged the continuous shaming, beating, taunting, scornfully jeering at, booing, and embarrassment, the tagging and or branding of him and his entire Edeaniagu village as nonindigenes and or outcasts, slaves, descendants of slaves and non-free born, serfs, strangers, and resident non-indigenes of Ishi-Ozalla, by Sir Willy Chukwuani and Christopher Nwanyanwu on the instigation of the ex-Minister

Uzochukwu insisted that the actions of the respondents amounted to an infraction of the applicant’s right of dignity to his human person and freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Sections 34 and 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.

In a judgement issued by Presiding Judge, Justice M. G. Umar, the court declared the actions of the respondents as infringement of the applicant’s right of freedom from discrimination.

“That a declaration is further made that the excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village by the respondents is an infringement of the applicant’s right of freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Section 46 (1) and (21 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5. 6 And 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights.

“That the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira only) being amount for general and exemplary damages suffered by the applicant as a result of excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village by the respondents.
“That the Respondents shall write to the applicant a public apology in a national daily.’

The court further granted an order restraining the respondents, either by themselves, agents, privies, servants or anybody whatsoever from further executing the excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village.

The excommunication and ostracization that happened in 2021 were what prevented the preferred traditional ruler candidate, Prince Don Sylvester Chinedu Nweke, from participating in the Ishi-Ozalla Igweship election.