In a significant legal move, a prominent Labour Party figure in Ebonyi State has taken his alleged assailants to court over persistent death threats. Dr. Ezeh Emmanuel Ezeh, a chieftain of the party and former House of Representatives candidate, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja.
Details of the Legal Action
The suit, marked CV/4130/25, names two individuals as respondents: Felix Okemini (also known as Jango) and Sunday Ogbonnia (also known as Bakassi). The Inspector-General of Police has also been joined in the suit to ensure law-enforcement oversight and to facilitate the enforcement of any potential court orders.
Dr. Ezeh, who contested the Abakaliki/Izzi Federal Constituency seat in the 2023 general elections, claims that the threats are a direct response to his public commentary on governance and political developments within Ebonyi State. He alleges a pattern where the threats intensify following his public statements, suggesting a politically motivated campaign to silence him.
Constitutional and Human Rights Violations Alleged
In the legal documents, Dr. Ezeh invokes key sections of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, specifically Sections 33, 38, 39, and 41, which protect the rights to life, freedom of thought, freedom of expression, and liberty. The suit also draws upon the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
He is seeking a judicial declaration that the alleged threats constitute unlawful violations of his fundamental rights. In a supporting affidavit, Dr. Ezeh stated that the situation has made it "impossible to live freely without fear of being harmed" and that judicial intervention is necessary to "affirm the sanctity" of his freedoms.
A Call for Legal Redress Over Confrontation
Speaking to journalists, Dr. Ezeh emphasized his commitment to pursuing justice through legal means rather than resorting to confrontation. "I refuse to be dragged into the gutters. We are a country governed by laws, and I have chosen the legal path rather than succumb to intimidation. No man will stand idle while his life and that of his family are threatened," he declared.
He revealed that attempts to resolve the dispute amicably had failed "under painful circumstances," leaving him with no other option but to seek the court's protection. His legal team is reportedly pushing for urgent protective orders to restrain the respondents from any further harassment.
As of the latest reports, neither the accused individuals nor law-enforcement authorities have issued any public statements regarding the allegations. A date for the hearing of the originating motion is yet to be fixed by the court.
