The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Chief Magistrate’s Court in Abuja has dismissed a criminal defamation suit brought against Nollywood actress Elizabeth Anjorin, popularly known as Lizzy Anjorin, by Adebimpe Audullahi, wife of Lagos-based property developer Ibile. The court described the case as “incompetent and lacking in merit.”
Magistrate Sunday Adukwu delivered the ruling on February 3, 2026, striking out the suit (CR/25/2025) and awarding N50,000 in costs against Audullahi. The decision followed a preliminary objection filed by Anjorin, challenging both the competence of the suit and the court’s jurisdiction.
Audullahi, through her lawyer Yakubu Eleto, had accused Anjorin and Shakira Ayobami of criminal defamation, acts likely to breach public peace, and making false, malicious, and defamatory statements. Defense counsel A. U. E. Ogboi countered that the case was procedurally flawed and beyond the court’s jurisdiction.
Magistrate Adukwu agreed with the defense, pointing out that Audullahi bundled multiple alleged offences into a single complaint, in violation of Section 80(4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015. “The complainant filed her complaint against the defendants for criminal defamation, acts and conduct likely to breach public peace, and presentation of false, malicious and defamatory statements. This disqualifies the entire process,” he said.
The court also faulted the suit on jurisdictional grounds, noting that “both the complainant and the defendants are residents of Lagos and not the FCT. This erodes the jurisdiction of this court to hear and determine the complaint.”
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Adukwu added, “The entire argument of the complainant/respondent counsel cannot stand the weight of legal scrutiny but must as a matter of law fall under the abuse of court process and gross procedural irregularities. It is common knowledge in law that you cannot put something on nothing… certainly not one with such a shaky foundation, irreconcilable loopholes and clear misunderstanding of the provisions of ACJA such as is represented in the instant case.”
The magistrate therefore struck out the complaint for incompetence, awarding N50,000 in costs against Audullahi for pursuing a legally flawed suit.