Federal High Court Judge Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has become the unintended victim of widespread misinformation after several Nigerian media outlets mistakenly used her photograph in reports announcing the murder of Justice Ifeoma Okogwu, a retired Delta State High Court judge.
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Justice Okogwu was tragically found tied and gagged in her Asaba residence on November 24, 2025. However, in the rush to break the news, television stations, blogs, and social media accounts erroneously used Justice Ojukwu’s image, sparking outrage across legal circles.
Legal practitioners have condemned the blunder as defamatory, misleading, and emotionally distressing to Justice Ojukwu and her family. Contrary to circulating reports, Justice Ojukwu is alive, healthy, and actively serving on the Federal High Court bench, TheNigeriaLawyer confirms.
Police reports indicate that Justice Ifeoma Okogwu was discovered lifeless in her sitting room at No. 8 Tom Halen Street, Asaba, by her brother, Emeka Okogwu, who alerted authorities at approximately 8:00 a.m. The retired judge’s hands and legs were bound, and her mouth gagged.
The Delta State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Homicide Section has since taken over the case. Police have arrested her security guard, Lucky Matthew, while the prime suspect, Godwin Vanem, remains at large. Delta State Commissioner of Police, Olufemi Abaniwonda, has pledged a thorough investigation into the killing.
Several platforms circulated Justice Ojukwu’s image in their reporting, including:
- Instagram accounts such as @crazygist.naija and @tvcnewsng
- Facebook pages like All Breaking News Official
- Television broadcasts that repeated the misinformation without correction
As of publication time, no official retractions or apologies had been issued by the outlets involved.
A law firm representing Justice Ojukwu has issued a formal letter to several media houses and online publishers demanding an immediate retraction and deletion of the incorrect image.
The letter, obtained by TheNigeriaLawyer, describes the publications as misleading, defamatory, and capable of causing emotional harm. It warns that failure to correct the error may lead to legal action for defamation and negligence.
The firm also reaffirmed that the image in question belongs to Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu, who remains a sitting judge of the Federal High Court.
Efforts by TheNigeriaLawyer to contact the Federal High Court spokesperson to raise concern about the misuse of Justice Ojukwu’s image had not received a response at the time of filing this report.
Legal professionals close to the matter confirmed that monitoring efforts are ongoing to ensure compliance. Prominent broadcasters such as Arise TV, TVC, and others who circulated the incorrect image have been urged to issue immediate corrections.
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