N1Billion Defamatory Suit: Court Awards N100,000.00 Against Ughelli North Council Boss, Egbo
*Dismissed his motion challenging Effurun’s jurisdiction
By Ogbagah Matthias & Ogbogoh Onome
EFFURUN – DELTA State High Court sitting in Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, awarded a cost of N100,000.00 against the executive chairman of Ughelli North council, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, in a suit No.EHC/218/2024 between Mr. Jeckins Ejiro Wisike (Claimant) and Olorogun Jaro Egbo (Defendant).
Hearing the case on Tuesday, November 2, 2025, the presiding judge berated Egbo for not filing his defense since last year, October, and he was subsequently awarded a cost of N100,000.00 for delaying the case.
While dismissing his motion challenging the jurisdiction of the Effurun High Court Judicial Division to entertain the case, the judge said Ughelli and Effurun fall within the same jurisdiction.
Meanwhile, the court has ordered the defense counsel to file his statement of defense in response to the claimant’s suit on or before December 4, 2024.
The claimant, Mr. Jeckins Ejiro Wisike in his Facebook handle while expressing confidence in the court as a hope of the common man, said, “Jeckins Ejiro Wisike wins round one against Olorogun Jaro Egbo the Ughelli North Local Government Council Chairman, as the Delta State High Court, Effurun, today dismissed a motion filed by Olorogun Jaro Egbo’s counsel challenging the jurisdiction of the Effurun Judicial Division to entertain the One Billion naira defamation suit filed against his client by Jeckins Ejiro Wisike.
“The court awarded substantial costs of N100K against the defendant and ordered the defense counsel to file his statement of defense in response to the claimant’s suit”.
It would be recalled that Oasis magazine in its November 14, 2024 edition with headline caption,
“Wisike Files N1B Claim Against Ughelli North Council Boss, Egbo Over Alleged Defamation Of Character” in read in details, “Mr. Jeckins Ejiro Wisike has filed a suit of N1,000,000,000,00 (One Billion Naira) only, against the Executive Chairman of Ughelli North Local Government Council, Hon. (Barr) Jaro Egbo over alleged defamation of character.
“The case which was filed at the Effurun High Court of Justice, Delta State with suit No.EHC/218/2024 between Mr. Jeckins Ejiro Wisike, referred to as the Claimant, and Olorogun Jaro Egbo, referred to as the Defendant, followed an allegation of defamation of character against the Claimant, Mr. Jeckins Ejiro Wisike.
“The Claimant, Mr. Jenkins Ejiro Wisike has claimed as follows: The award of the sum of N1,000,000,000.00 (One Billion Naira) only against the Defendant, Olorogun Jaro Egbo, being exemplary and punitive damages for defamation of character resulting from the action of the defendant who allegedly referred to the Claimant to the public as a nonentity, drunkard.
“The Defendant was also alleged to have referred to the Claimant before the public as gambler, an half-baked law student, studying law in an unaccredited University and thereby caused the Claimant embarrassment and loss of sponsorship in his legal education and political aspiration for an elective office ahead of 2027 elections, loss of income in his business, disaffection and spite from well meaning members of the public
“In the suit, there is an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from further publishing and/or making statements on his Facebook page known as Olorogun Jaro Egbo KSC or other social media platforms, that are false and defamatory to the character of the Claimant.
“The Claimant has also seek an order of this Honourable Court compelling the Defendant to publicly apologize to the Claimant on his Facebook page known as Olorogun Jaro Egbo KSC and other social media platforms, as well as two (2) national dailies or newspapers for allegedly defaming the character of the Claimant to the public as gambler, an half-baked law student, studying law in an unaccredited University, thereby causing the Claimant embarrassment.
“In the suit, the Defendant has been given within eight (8) days after service of summons for an appearance to be entered as filed by the Claimant, but failure to comply with the said days, the Claimant may proceed therein and judgment may be given on the 21st of November, 2024”.
