Court Bars Nigerian Government From Publishing Secondus’ Name On Looters List

Court Bars Nigerian Government From Publishing Secondus’ Name On Looters List

The Rivers State high court has barred the Federal Government, Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and their agents from further publishing the name of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Uche Secondus on their looters’ list.

The state Chief Judge, A. I . Iyayi- Lamikanra, gave the order in Port Harcourt on Monday when the case against the minister and the federal government brought by Mr Secondus was heard.

Mr Secondus’s special media assistant, Ike Abonyi, who was in court, said in a statement that although Mr Mohammed or his representatives were not in the Port Harcourt court on Monday, the trial judge, Mr Iyayi- Lamikanra, directed the plaintiffs to serve the defendants the appropriate order of the court.

The PDP National Chairman had sued the minister for defamation of character following the release of a looters list which had his name on it.

Counsels to Mr Secondus, Emeka Etiaba, leading Emeka Okpoko and Emeka Echezona-Etiaba, had filed a motion seeking to stop the Federal Government, the Minister or their agents from publishing the name of Mr Secondus on their looters list as well as any other publication intended to further defame him.

Earlier on April 6, the state Chief Judge had granted that the defendants be served by substituted means all the originating processes together with accompanying processes in Thisday newspaper.

The case was adjourned to May 28 for continuation of hearing.