Metro

Alleged Defamation: Detained Anambra Twitter User Chude Freed

Published

2 years ago

March 24, 2023

A Twitter user, Nnamdi Chude, who was arrested by the police following a petition by a Nigerian oil magnate, Emeka Offor, over alleged defamation of character, has been released on Friday.

The PUNCH reports that Chude, an ardent supporter of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was released after spending six days in several police detention facilities including the station of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu, in Anambra State, and at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.

Chude, who spoke to our correspondent who posed as an undercover journalist during a visit to the FCID, prior to his release on Friday, confirmed that he was arrested on March 18 by the Anambra State Cybersecurity Police unit in Onitsha and was taken to Anambra State Criminal Investigative Department, Awka (former Awkuzu SARS), where he was first detained and allegedly tortured, before he was later covertly transported by road to Enugu Airport where he was flown to the FCID, Abuja the following day.

Although the NPF had yet to reveal the identity of the petitioner, Chude, on Friday, told our correspondent that he was arrested for alleged defamation of character following a petition by Mr Offor over a tweet he made on Monday, March 13, alleging that the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, had contacted Mr Offor to plead with Mr Peter Obi to accept what he tagged “a rigged result”.

“So @officialABAT called Emeka Offor to beg Peter Obi to accept the rigged result. If he is sure the people voted for APC and he won the election, why is he running around pleading with everyone to help beg Peter Obi to accept the result?” Chude had tweeted.

Speaking with our correspondent from detention on Friday, Chude said, “My arrest was as a result of a petition written to the police by Emeka Offor alleging defamation of character. According to the petition which was shown to me by the police, Mr Offor claimed that I defamed him in my March 13 tweet where I wrote that Tinubu had called him to beg Obi to accept the election result.

“When I got here, they were asking me to provide evidence to back my tweet but I couldn’t.

“However, I was supposed to have been released on Wednesday after my lawyer had perfected my bail condition which required a Level 16 civil servant to stand as surety for my release, but I was later informed that an executive order came from the IGP asking the FCID to detain me further.”

Meanwhile, earlier on, following online agitation for his whereabouts and offence, the police had revealed in a press statement on Wednesday that a petition was filed against Chude for allegedly violating Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and other criminal laws, and that he was being investigated by the Force National Cyber Crime Centre.

The NPF also revealed that a prima facie case had been established against Chude, adding that his case file had been forwarded to the Force Legal Department for further action.

Confirming his arrest and the allegation levelled against him in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, claimed that Chude was arrested for cyber-stalking.

Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police hereby confirm that one Mr. Chude Nnamdi with Twitter handle ‘@chude__’ was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State on March 18, 2023, and he is being investigated by the NPF-NCCC Abuja, for cyber-stalking, pursuant to a complaint received via a petition, about his activities on social media which contravenes the provision of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and other criminal laws.”

Metro

JUST IN: Many Killed As Soldiers, Bandits Exchange Gunfire In Kaduna

Published

8 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Scores of bandits and some military personnel have been killed following a gun battle in Niger and Kaduna States.

Nigerian Army Headquarters made the disclosure in a statement posted on its official X handle on Wednesday.

The statement said the operations were carried out in Kwanar Dutse Mairiga and Boka, Niger State, and Aungwan Turai, Chikun Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State.

The daredevil terrorists had launched an unprovoked attack on the aforementioned areas.

REAS ALSO:Police Neutralise Bandit, Rescue 5 Kidnapped Victims In Katsina

According to the statement, in response to the attacks, “land and air component troops launched several counter-attacks that eliminated scores of bandits in the encounters.

“Sadly, some gallant warriors paid the supreme price in the day-long battles, while four wounded in-action troops are currently receiving treatment for their gunshot wounds. Additional updates later.”

Metro

Police Detain 3 Nsukka Masqueraders For Allegedly Assaulting Residents

Published

20 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

The police command in Enugu State has detained three masqueraders in the Nsukka area of the state for allegedly assaulting law-abiding citizens.

The command’s spokesman, SP Daniel Ndukwe, said in a statement in Enugu on Tuesday that police operatives, with the assistance of members of the community, led to the arrest of the suspects on June 23 at 3:30 p.m.

He said that the arrest of the suspects was in connection with the alleged physical assault of citizens by the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade group on June 22 as seen in a viral video.

“The suspects, along with others still at large, took advantage of the ‘Oriokpa’ Masquerade celebration to assault several innocent members of the public, inflicting bodily injuries on them.

“One of the victims was hospitalised for treatment due to injuries sustained during the attack.

“The masqueraders initially resisted police arrest and fled the scene.

“However, with the assistance of law-abiding community members, the three suspects were later identified and apprehended,” he said.

The spokesman said that the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr Mamman Giwa, had ordered a thorough investigation into the case to ensure that justice was served.

Ndukwe quoted the commissioner as saying that masquerade celebration was a sacred and symbolic aspect of the nation’s culture.

He said that the state police chief, however, decried the actions of those who exploited the occasion to commit criminal acts.

Ndukwe said that the commissioner warned against the use of cultural festivities as a cover for fomenting trouble and committing crimes against fellow citizens, as perpetrated by the ‘Oriokpa’ masqueraders.

“The command is assuring the public that all those involved in the assault of law-abiding citizens will be brought to justice,” he added.

(NAN)

Metro

Edo Police Arrest Four Suspected Cultists

Published

23 hours ago

June 24, 2025

Editor

Edo Police Command said it has arrested four suspected cultists allegedly responsible for cult violence in Auchi and its environs of the state.

In a statement, the command’s Public Relations Officer, CSP Moses Yamu said, the suspects, who were arrested during a joint operation, belong to different cultist groups.

The statement reads partly, “On 22/06/2025, operatives of the Command’s Anti-Cultism Unit in a joint operation with Jattu and Auchi Divisions embarked on a house-to-house arrest of cultists.

“These four (4) suspects were arrested in various locations in Auchi; Musa Murphy 25yrs of No 35 Ogeneni area Jattu, Auchi a member of Arobaga Confraternity, Gabriel Moses 25yrs of ECocota-Community, Auchi a member of Aye Confraternity, Michael Ayo 23yrs of No1 Emeke Uzuire, Auchi member of Eiye Confraternity and Philip Sunday 24yrs of Ebira camp, Auchi a member of Vikings Confraternity.”

Yamu expressed the state Commissioner of Police, Monday Agbonika’s assurance to the “general public of the Command’s resolve to rid the State of cultism while the suspects would be charged to court as soon as the investigation is concluded.”