Actress and filmmaker Eberechukwu Ohakwe, popularly known as Ijele, has expressed frustration over the Nigerian Army’s continued disregard for a Federal High Court ruling that ordered them to compensate her for an assault that occurred seven years ago.
In January 2017, Ohakwe was returning to Nigeria from Dubai, traveling in a Toyota Sienna minivan on the Port Harcourt-Onitsha Road when soldiers conducted a search of the vehicle.
Ohakwe recounted the traumatic event, explaining that she was listening to music through her earpiece and was unaware of the initial confrontation between the driver and the soldiers.
According to Ohakwe, the situation escalated when a soldier, identified as Olamilekan Suleiman, began hitting the vehicle with a stick and eventually used a rod to assault her.
“I was sitting at the back of the vehicle, and when I tried to intervene, the soldier began to hit me,” Ohakwe said. “He called me derogatory names and broke my phone before physically attacking me with the rod.”
The assault left her with injuries and led to hospitalisation. Despite initial promises from army officials to address the issue, no action was taken.
Ohakwe subsequently sought legal redress through the Federal High Court in Rivers State, which ruled in her favor and awarded her N1 million in damages.
The court also mandated that the Nigerian Army issue an apology in two national dailies.
However, Ohakwe reported that the Nigerian Army has ignored the court’s order.
“After the judgment, the Army failed to appear in court and then contested the ruling, claiming they were not represented during the case,” she explained.
“The judge increased the compensation to N1,250,000 and required a public apology, which the Army has yet to fulfil.”
The prolonged delay in compliance has led Ohakwe to plan further legal action.
“I intend to sue the Nigerian Army again for their failure to respect the court order and for the brutality that has deeply affected my life,” she stated.
Ohakwe’s ordeal was compounded by personal tragedy; her mother fell ill and died during the legal battle, and she suffered from internal bleeding as a result of the assault.
