An Ebonyi State High Court sitting in Abakaliki has awarded ₦10 million in damages to the member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency, Chinedu Ogah, in a defamation suit against social media commentator Chisom Achor.

Delivering judgment, Justice Frankline Edem held that a series of videos posted by the defendant on Facebook, TikTok and other social media platforms between September and October 2025 were defamatory and had harmed the lawmaker’s reputation.

According to the certified true copy of the judgment, the court found that the allegations contained in the videos, admitted in evidence as Exhibit P1, were false and injurious to Mr. Ogah’s character.

The court ordered Mr. Achor to remove the defamatory publications and publish an unreserved apology on his Facebook and TikTok pages within 30 days.

Justice Edem also awarded ₦10 million as compensation for the damage caused to the plaintiff’s reputation, significantly lower than the ₦1 billion initially sought in the suit.

In addition, the court issued a perpetual injunction restraining Mr. Achor, his agents and associates from making or publishing any further defamatory statements against the federal lawmaker on any social media platform.

The defendant was further directed to pay ₦200,000 as the cost of the legal action.

The judgment followed the defendant’s failure to file a statement of defence despite being personally served with the court processes while in custody at a correctional facility in Enugu.

Court records showed that the writ of summons was served on January 26, 2026.

Although the defendant was represented by counsel, Samuel Ede, during proceedings on March 31, the lawyer neither filed a defence nor appeared at subsequent hearings.

After both the defendant and his counsel failed to attend the resumed hearing despite being served with a hearing notice, the court granted the plaintiff permission to prove his case in the absence of a defence.

Justice Edem subsequently delivered judgment after considering the evidence and submissions presented by the plaintiff’s counsel, Samson Ekigbo.