The former Chairman of the governing board of the Nigerian Copyright Commission (NCC), Dr Tonye Clinton Jaja, has initiated a landmark fundamental rights suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja. The legal action, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/125/2026, seeks a staggering ₦1 trillion in damages for alleged victimisation, intimidation, and unlawful removal from office.
The suit names several high-profile defendants, including the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN; the former Solicitor-General, Dayo Apata; the Office of the Attorney-General; the Nigeria Police Force (NPF); and the Department of State Services (DSS).
Dr Jaja, who was appointed to lead the NCC board on the 13th of May 2019 for a statutory four-year term, contends that his tenure was prematurely and illegally terminated. According to court filings, Jaja’s removal followed his reporting of alleged irregularities concerning the commission’s Director-General to the then-AGF, Mr Malami.
The claimant averred that instead of investigating the complaints, the 1st to 4th respondents summarily sacked him on the 15th of October 2020. He maintains that he was never served a query nor provided with an opportunity to defend himself, a direct violation of the principle of fair hearing enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
“The 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th respondents sacked the applicant… without any query and without giving the applicant opportunity to be heard,” the filing stated.
The suit contains grave allegations regarding the misuse of state apparatus. Dr Jaja claimed that following his removal, he was subjected to sustained intimidation by security agencies.
He alleged that during a police invitation, officers confessed that while they found his “hands to be clean,” they had been instructed by the 1st respondent to “deal with and torment” him. He recounted a similar experience with the DSS, claiming the agency eventually released him after finding him innocent of any wrongdoing.
Dr Jaja is seeking several reliefs from the court to remedy the alleged breaches of his fundamental rights. These include:
- Restitution: A declaration that his removal without a hearing was unconstitutional and void.
- Financial Compensation: The sum of ₦1 trillion to be paid jointly and severally by the respondents.
- Public Apology: A formal apology to be published in at least two national newspapers.
- Legal Costs: ₦5 million to cover the cost of the litigation.
The claimant further revealed that his attempts to seek reinstatement through administrative channels, including interventions by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), were ignored.
In a dramatic expansion of the case, Jaja asserted that his troubles were exacerbated by his role in assisting the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in “exposing” certain activities involving Mr Malami and a third party. He believes his removal and subsequent treatment were retaliatory measures intended to silence his whistleblowing efforts.
While the Federal High Court is yet to fix a date for the preliminary hearing, the case is expected to draw significant national attention, given the seniority of the parties involved and the record-breaking sum demanded in damages.
