BREAKING!! ENUGU: ₦ 1Billion Defamation Battle Deepens As Court Orders Substituted Service as Prof. Nnam Dodges Bailiffs

...the Enugu High Court rules for substituted service after weeks of failed attempts to reach former Lands Commissioner...

Two months after the high-profile ₦1 billion defamation suit filed by Rt. Hon. Dr. Ikechukwu Mellitus Ezeugwu against former Enugu Commissioner for Lands, Prof. Surv. Victor Chukwuemeka Nnam, the legal battle has taken a new twist, as the Enugu State High Court, presided over by Hon. Justice N. R. Oji, has ordered that the defendant be served by substituted means following his persistent evasion of court bailiffs.

The ruling, delivered on Wednesday, 30th September 2025, in Suit No: E/1057/2025, marks a critical procedural step in a case that has attracted widespread public attention since it first surfaced in August 2025. The court, upon an ex-parte motion filed by the plaintiff’s counsel on September 29, 2025, and moved by B. T. Obimaraogu, Esq. on behalf of O. A. U. Onyema, Esq., granted the request for substituted service in line with Order 7 Rule 5 of the High Court Civil Procedure Rules 2020.

In the court’s order, Justice Oji directed that the originating processes and all other court documents be served on Prof. Nnam either by pasting same on the front gate of his office at Geo. Squaremete Innovative Ltd,  The court further ruled that such service shall be deemed proper and sufficient, and subsequently adjourned the matter to October 13, 2025, for further proceedings.

This development comes amid growing concerns that Prof. Nnam has been deliberately avoiding service since the commencement of the lawsuit, a move that many observers interpret as an attempt to frustrate or delay the judicial process. The ruling for substituted service now clears the way for the continuation of the substantive hearing in the long-anticipated defamation case.

It will be recalled that in August 2025, the Enugu political and social landscape was shaken when news broke that Rt. Hon. Dr. Ikechukwu Ezeugwu, a respected lawmaker, philanthropist, and former Leader of the Enugu State House of Assembly, had dragged Prof. Nnam before the High Court, demanding ₦1 billion in damages for what he described as a malicious and libellous publication that gravely injured his reputation and sabotaged an international investment initiative.

The lawsuit traces back to a Daily Post online publication of May 19, 2025, allegedly authored by Prof. Nnam, in which he purportedly made several derogatory and unfounded statements about Dr. Ezeugwu, calling him “a sycophant, an unserious person, and a fake personality.” The statements, the former lawmaker contends, were a deliberate act of defamation following his resignation from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) just a day earlier.

In that earlier report, Dr. Ezeugwu, who represented Udenu Constituency in the Enugu State House of Assembly from 2011 to 2023, had explained that he left the PDP over “selfishness, deceit, and the sacrifice of merit for political convenience.” His principled decision was widely praised by constituents and political observers alike, who described him as a man of integrity and conviction.

However, rather than respect his personal decision, Prof. Nnam, who, according to Ezeugwu, was neither a PDP chieftain nor directly affected by his resignation, allegedly launched an unprovoked media attack, accusing him of political betrayal, arrogance, and benefiting unduly from the Ugwuanyi administration through questionable land allocations.

The former legislator and businessman vehemently denied these accusations, branding them as false, malicious, and injurious to his character and business interests. He disclosed that the defamatory publication had devastating consequences, particularly on a multi-million-naira raw cashew nut processing factory project in Udenu Local Government Area, which had attracted foreign investors from Germany. Following the viral report, the investors reportedly suspended their planned visit to Nigeria, leading to massive financial and reputational losses.

Efforts by mediators to resolve the matter amicably failed, prompting Ezeugwu to seek redress in court. In his suit, he is asking the court to declare the publication defamatory, compel Prof. Nnam to publish an unreserved apology in national dailies, and award him ₦5 million in special damages for legal expenses, alongside ₦1 billion in punitive damages for loss of business opportunities, plus 10% interest until full payment.

Public opinion continues to lean heavily in favour of Rt. Hon. Dr. Ezeugwu, who many regard as a man of impeccable record in public service and private enterprise. Critics of Nnam’s actions have described the alleged publication as a reckless act of character assassination, underscoring the need for accountability in public discourse.

With the court now ordering substituted service and setting a new date for hearing, attention has once again shifted to the Enugu High Court, where the next proceedings on October 13, 2025, are expected to determine whether Prof. Nnam will finally respond to the weighty allegations before him.

For now, the case remains one of the most closely watched legal battles in Enugu political circles, a clash not only over reputation and damages but also over the boundaries of ethical expression and responsibility in public commentary.