A Federal High Court sitting in Enugu has restrained former Minister of Information, Chief Frank Nweke Jr and two other members of Ishi-Ozalla community from excommunicating and ostracizing Mr. Christian Uzochukwu and his entire Edeaniagu village in Nkanu West Local Government Area of Enugu State.

In the landmark judgment delivered on May 21, 2025, Justice M.G. Umar ordered the respondents to pay N5 million as general damages for their actions and to publish a public apology to the applicant in a national daily newspaper.

The suit (FHC/EN/CS/40/2023) was filed by Mr. Christian Uzochukwu against Sir Willy Chukwuani, Christopher Nwanyanwu, and Chief Frank Nweke Jr. The applicant challenged what he described as continuous shaming, beating, taunting, and embarrassment of himself and the entire Edeaniagu Village, who were branded as non-indigenes, outcasts, slaves, and strangers in Ishi-Ozalla community.

Uzochukwu argued that these actions constituted "an infraction of the applicant's right of dignity to his human person and freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Sections 34 and 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5, 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights."

The court agreed with the applicant's submission, declaring that the excommunication and ostracization were infringements on his constitutional rights. Justice Umar further issued a restraining order preventing the respondents, their agents, privies, or servants from continuing with the excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his village.

The judgment read in part: "That a declaration is further made that the excommunication and ostracization of the applicant and his entire Edeaniagu village by the respondents is an infringement of the applicant's right of freedom from discrimination as enshrined in Section 46 (1) and (2) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as Amended) and Articles 5, 6 And 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights."

The court noted that the excommunication, which occurred in 2021, had prevented Prince Don Sylvester Chinedu Nweke, the preferred traditional ruler candidate, from participating in the Ishi-Ozalla Igweship election due to his association with the affected village.

This ruling represents a significant victory for the affected villagers who have been fighting against discrimination and social exclusion within their community for several years.