A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has remanded a blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, for alleged cyberstalking and defamatory postings against the Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu.

It was reported that Surpruchi was arraigned by the Inspector General of Police through the Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos, before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cyberstalking, dissemination of false information and defamation.

According to the charge marked FHC/L/316C/2026, the prosecution said that Surpruchi utilized an appearance 𝕏 account named as @PROBLEMCHLMKYI to distribute false material concerning Elumelu and his family.

Prosecuting counsel, A.G. Obi, told the court that the defendant and those still at large reportedly circulated statements that Elumelu divorced his wife after DNA tests apparently indicated that none of his seven children belonged to him.

The prosecution claimed the publication was made on or about April 5, 2026, and was thereafter spread throughout social media platforms.

According to the prosecution, the post received enormous public interest, collecting nearly 1.9 million views, over 1,600 reposts, more than 6,300 likes and hundreds of saves.

The prosecution further alleged that the publication exposed Elumelu and his family to hatred, ill-will, intimidation, public ridicule and reputational damage.

The offences are alleged to breach Sections 27(1)(b), 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended), as well as Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act.

When the charges were read, the defendant pled not guilty.

Following the plea, the prosecutor informed the court that the defence had only recently served a bail application and sought time to file a response.

She accordingly persuaded the court to defer the matter for trial and remand the defendant awaiting further procedures.

Defence counsel, Anslem Etoh, informed the court that his client’s bail application was still being processed and asked a short adjournment.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa subsequently adjourned the matter until June 19, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service awaiting the conclusion of the motion.

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An aggrieved aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, has accused the ruling party of seeking to sideline him after he allegedly expended over N100 million pursuing his political ambition under the party’s platform.

The aspirant, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, dragged the APC and some of its top officials to a Federal High Court in Abuja, accusing them of denying him the opportunity to contest for the position of National Vice Chairman (South-South) before the party’s national convention.

Dagogo claimed he duly paid for the party’s expression of interest and nomination forms but was denied access to the forms despite meeting all requirements, according to court documents filed before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik.

“You cannot jettison me after I spent over N100 million chasing this ambition,” the aggrieved aspirant reportedly argued in his suit, accusing party officials of frustrating his participation in the exercise.

The APC, its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, National Vice Chairman (South-South), Victor Giadom and National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Argungu were listed as defendants in the suit.

The plaintiff is praying the court to nullify the outcome of any South-South zonal congress where he was not included. He is also seeking N100 million damages for what he described as embarrassment, emotional distress and mental torture allegedly suffered him by the party’s actions.

Dagogo said in his affidavit that he had paid the required fees on the 13th of March 2026 and went to the APC national secretariat to collect the nomination forms but was informed that the forms were no longer available.

Some party officials deliberately kept him from obtaining the forms, he said, because they feared he might beat the officeholder in the contest.

However, the APC in its legal representatives, urged the court to dismiss the suit on the ground that the matter is an internal affair of the party and therefore not justiciable.

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The Federal High Court in Lagos has scheduled July 20, 2026 for judgment in a suit filed by the Wireless Application Service Providers Association of Nigeria, WASPAN, against the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, FCCPC, over the introduction of the consumer lending regulations.

Justice A.L. Allagoa was told on Monday that lawyers to both parties adopted their final written addresses in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/760/2026 at the court’s Ikoyi division.

The case relates to the legality of the Digital, Electronic, Online and Non-traditional Consumer Lending Regulations also known as the DEON Regulations issued by the FCCPC.

The arguments during the proceedings focused on the extent of the FCCPC’s powers in Nigeria’s digital economy and telecommunications sector.

The parties were absent in court, but were represented by Kemi Pinheiro SAN, Chukwudi Enebeli SAN, Muyiwa Odubela and Pelumi Agbeyo for WASPAN, and Olufunke Aboyade SAN for the FCCPC with A. Aribisala, B. Alexander and I.M. Balogun.

At the start of proceedings lawyers told the court that matters relating to earlier contempt proceedings had been resolved amicably.

The plaintiff thereafter withdrew the Form 49 contempt proceedings initiated by it prior to the update, and the court struck out the application.

The hearing then moved to the preliminary objection of the FCCPC on the competence of the suit.

Aboyade argued the objection and queried why the action was only being brought now when the DEON Regulations had been in operation since July 2025.

She said the regulations were designed to protect consumers and that WASPAN had not followed mandatory statutory pre-action notice requirements before going to court.

But Pinheiro urged the court to discount the objection, saying that the FCCPC introduced disputed facts without affidavit evidence to support them.

He said issues of delay and alleged procedural non-compliance could not be competently raised through written submissions alone.

The senior advocate further submitted that constitutional rights to access to court would prevail over technical objections to pre-action notices where a party alleges imminent regulatory injury.

Pinheiro also accused the FCCPC of taking conflicting legal positions by challenging the court’s jurisdiction while seeking affirmative relief from the same court.

WASPAN asked the court to declare certain provisions of the DEON Regulations as ultra vires on the grounds that the FCCPC acted beyond its statutory powers.

The plaintiff argued that while the FCCPC has the power to make regulations under its enabling law, such powers are restricted to consumer protection matters and cannot supersede sector-specific laws regulating telecommunications and financial services.

Mr. Pinheiro specifically argued that the FCCPC was trying to exercise powers already vested in the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC and, the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN.

He further argued that subsidiary legislation cannot override Acts of the National Assembly, maintaining that the disputed regulations are in conflict with provisions of the Nigerian Communications Act and the Central Bank of Nigeria Act.

In defence of the regulations, the FCCPC argued that its statutory powers cut across sectors where issues of consumer rights and market competition arise.

Aboyade further submitted that defendants in originating summons proceedings are entitled to raise and argue independent legal issues in response to claims before the court.

WASPAN, in its final address, urged the court to discount documentary exhibits tendered by the FCCPC, saying that the materials lacked evidential value and did not establish any direct link between alleged loan shark activities and members of the association.

Justice Allagoa after listening to arguments from both sides adjourned the matter till July 20 for judgment.

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In fresh revelations in the lingering crisis rocking the Social Democratic Party, the party’s National Chairman, Prof. Abubakar Sadiq Gombe, on Monday alleged before journalists that bank statements and other financial documents detailing how party funds were allegedly siphoned had been tendered in court.

The SDP leadership had presented documentary evidence, including bank records, disciplinary committee reports and company registration documents allegedly linked to the laundering of party funds, Gombe said speaking shortly after the proceedings at a Magistrate Court in Abuja.

He said that the case before the court was purely criminal and it was based on allegations of financial malfeasance, misappropriation and diversion of party resources by some suspended and expelled officials of the party.

“What happened today in court is that I gave testimony as a witness and we tendered relevant documents, including the report of the disciplinary committee, invitation letters sent to the accused persons, bank statements showing debits and credits, and documents of companies through which party funds were allegedly siphoned and laundered,” he said.

The SDP chairman revealed that the issue was traced back to June 24, 2025, when the first allegations of financial misconduct within the party were made.

He said the party subsequently set up a six-man investigative panel headed by Air Vice Marshal Abubakar Sadiq Liman to probe the allegations.

Gombe said the committee sat for 14 days at the party secretariat and invited all accused persons in accordance with the party constitution.
However, he accused the suspended and expelled National Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Musa Gabam of refusing to appear before the panel.

“The committee invited all the persons accused. Some appeared including the national auditor who apologised and resigned, but the suspended chairman refused to honour the invitation because they believed they were above the law and the constitution of the party,” he alleged.

He further accused some of the affected officials of invading the SDP national secretariat with security operatives and suspected thugs on May 7, allegedly breaking into offices and carting away sensitive documents belonging to the party.

“They broke our gate, invaded offices, including that of the treasurer, financial secretary and national secretary and carted away original party documents,” he alleged.

Gombe also said the meeting of the National Executive Committee held on March 9, 2026, validly ratified his appointment as SDP national chairman and approved the expulsion of some officials.

He said the decisions of the NEC were later certified by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
“Some prominent Nigerians tried to broker peace in the SDP but could not get any positive result as some of the accused persons reportedly refused to adhere to the conditions agreed for reconciliation,” the SDP chairman said.

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In the ongoing trial of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, the prosecution explained to the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday why the defendant was transferred from the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission (ICPC) to the Department of State Services (DSS).

According to reports, El-Rufai is charged on five counts for allegedly admitting to listening in on phone calls with Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Advisor, in a television appearance.

Oluwole Aladedoye (SAN), lead prosecuting attorney, informed the court that El-Rufai’s family members had allegedly engaged in disruptive behavior prior to the move.

According to Aladedoye, one of the former governor’s wives allegedly showed up at the ICPC facility on May 15 with cameramen and livestreamed allegations that her husband was being denied access to family members and food.

He added that security services sent El-Rufai to DSS custody in order to prevent more controversy, and he accused lawmaker Timi Frank of spreading allegations that suggested El-Rufai might be hurt while in detention.

The prosecution also claimed that El-Rufai’s family criticized the terms of his bail and utilized the media to paint the case as political persecution.

In response, defense attorney E.E. Ekere denied being aware of the accusations and contended that the defendant shouldn’t be held accountable for remarks made outside of court.

In response, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik stated that she ignored social media narratives and suggested that internet disputes stay outside of judicial proceedings.

On an intercepted call, a witness testifies
A flash drive with a 43-minute interview that El-Rufai gave to Arise Television was allowed into evidence by the court throughout the hearings.

The National Security Adviser was questioned by investigators, according to the prosecution’s witness, APC, who informed the court that the discussion El-Rufai mentioned had actually occurred.

After hearing parts of the interview, the witness said that the ICPC chairman also acknowledged talking about the issue with the NSA.

The witness acknowledged under cross-examination that investigators did not look at communication devices, get IP addresses, or perform forensic analysis of the purported interception.

However, the witness maintained that El-Rufai consistently maintained his assertion that the conversation had been recorded and sent to him.

After that, Justice Abdulmalik postponed the case’s next hearing to June 22 and 23.

The post Prosecution Explains Why El-Rufai Was Moved To DSS Custody appeared first on TheNigerian.

Dr Sam Amadi, former chairman of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, has advised aspirants who lost in the All Progressives Congress, APC, primary elections to weigh if the process violated the electoral laws, party constitution or internal regulations before moving to court.

Amadi, who spoke on Arise Television’s Morning Show on Tuesday, said the aggrieved aspirants should first look into how the primaries were conducted to see if there were substantial breaches that could be taken to court.

He said the Supreme Court’s stance on internal party matters does not fully close the door to complaints arising from egregious violations in party primaries.

“For those who lost in the APC primary, they should first take stock of the procedure: what happened? Is it a breach of electoral law, breach of the constitution, or breach of internal rules?

“If they are, and the violations are significant, I think they should have access to court on the basis of the dominant view of the Supreme Court. “The concept of internal affair does not mean all type of complaint is excluded,” he said.

Amadi further stated that he is not contesting for any elective office in the current election cycle despite campaign posters calling on him to run for Senate.

He said the posters were put up by pressure groups and not part of any active campaign by him, adding that he plans to contest in the next governorship election in Imo State, which runs on an off-season electoral cycle.

Amadi: “I am not contesting an election first. there’s a poster for me to run for the senate. but I said no. I had tried to run for governor before, and next year I will run for governor and decide where and how.

“So all those posters are pressure groups asking me to run for senate for the moment. So, I won’t be contesting an election this cycle, but I will certainly run in the next circle because Imo is off season. So that’s where I am. “I’m not running for any office now.”

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The Department of State Services is currently arraigning Nasir El-Rufai, a former governor of Kaduna State, before the Federal High Court in Abuja in connection with an ongoing case involving the alleged tapping of the National Security Adviser’s (NSA) phone.

Around 8:55 a.m. on Monday, highly armed secret police officers brought El-Rufai to the courtroom.

Shortly after his arrival, the court’s surroundings were reportedly sealed off by security personnel, creating tension among journalists, court employees, and other visitors.

Journalists, employees, and other users of the court premises were allegedly barred from entering the building once the former governor arrived.

Some of those impacted reportedly staged a brief protest in response to the development, arguing that the court should continue to be open to the public and should not be closed to those who wish to watch proceedings.

Omoyele Sowore, an activist and former African Action Congress presidential candidate, led the demonstration and criticized the security personnel’s actions.

Sowore maintained that no Nigerian should be excluded from the courtroom without a valid reason, particularly when the proceedings are occurring in a public setting.

He stated that unless there is a clear judicial order limiting access, the court should continue to be accessible to journalists and members of the public.

DSS agents showed up at the anti-graft agency’s location as early as 7:00 am to pick up the former governor for arraignment, according to an unnamed source at the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission.

The insider clarified that the DSS, not the ICPC, was handling the issue.

“Yes, we are not involved in the current court case. In order to arraign him in court, they (DSS agents) arrived to fetch him up here at around 7:00 am, according to the source.

The former governor was called in for the proceedings, and security was increased around the Federal High Court.

Attorneys, litigants, and other guests were drawn to the DSS officers’ presence on the court grounds, and some of them experienced delays in entering the building.

El-Rufai’s most recent court appearance coincides with the continuing legal dispute over the National Security Adviser’s alleged phone tapping.

As of the time this story was filed, more information about the charges and the court’s ruling were still pending.

The post DSS Re-arraigns El-Rufai Over Alleged NSA Phone Tapping Case appeared first on TheNigerian.

A prosecution witness in the alleged N8.7 billion money laundering trial of the immediate past Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, on Wednesday, told a Federal High Court, Abuja that the Zenith Bank filed Suspicious Transaction Reports on transactions linked to the former minister’s accounts.

“I am a compliance officer at Zenith Bank,” Mashelia Arhyel Bata testified before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Maitama, Abuja.

Malami is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission with his wife, Hajia Bashir Asabe, and his son, Abubakar Abdulaziz Malami, on an amended 16-count charge bordering on alleged conspiracy, concealment and laundering of N8.7 billion said to be proceeds of unlawful activities.

In his cross-examination by the defence counsel, the witness, Adebayo Adedeji, SAN, admitted that the deposits reflected in the account statements were in accordance with the guidelines of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

He said, however, the bank continued to file Suspicious Transaction Reports as required by regulators.

“But we had to file Suspicious Transaction Report. “We did file,” the witness told the court.

There was some little drama during re-examination when the prosecution counsel, J.S. Okutepa, SAN, asked the witness to explain what a Suspicious Transaction Report was.

The defence objected to the question, saying that there was no ambiguity in the earlier testimony of the witness that needed clarification.

The objection, however, was overruled by Justice Abdulmalik when the prosecution cited section 215(3) of the Evidence Act.

The witness added that “suspicious transaction reports are normally filed when funds are deposited in repetitive or unusual patterns.”

“You must flag to the NFIU any deposit of funds that you see in a pattern or repetitive,” he said.

The witness further testified that his duties as a compliance officer were to answer correspondence from law enforcement agencies, and that he was not the account officer or the relationship manager for the accounts under investigation.

After hearing the testimony, the court discharged the witness and adjourned the matter till May 22 for continuation of trial.

The post Alleged N8.7bn Fraud: Witness Tells Court Zenith Bank Flagged Malami’s Suspicious Transactions appeared first on TheNigerian.

Justice Mohammed Garba Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the no-case submission filed by activist, Omoyele Sowore, in the cyberbullying charge brought against him by the Department of the State Services, DSS.

Sowore had been accused by DSS of cyberbullying President Bola Tinubu.

The court dismissed the DSS charges against Sowore for allegedly calling Tinubu “criminal” on his Twitter handle and ordered him to enter his defense.

Justice Umar on Friday dismissed the no case submission made by the activist when he heard the application.

Sowore had filed the no case submission and prayed the court to discharge and acquit him of the two count charge.

In the ruling, Justice Umar held that the DSS had linked Sowore with the alleged offences. He added that a prima facie case had been established against him to warrant him to enter a defence.

The post BREAKING: Court Rejects Sowore’s No-Case Submission In Tinubu Cyberbullying Trial appeared first on TheNigerian.

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has said it is ready for a lengthy legal battle in its ongoing court cases over the party’s leadership tussle.

This was stated on Friday by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Bolaji Abdullahi, during an interview on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

Abdullahi was reacting to Thursday’s Supreme Court ruling which he described as a victory for the party.

“The ADC will celebrate its legal victory but will not lose focus,” the spokesperson said. “This is far from over.”

“You can celebrate a battle when you are fighting a war,” he said. You win a battle and you celebrate it well. That does not mean the war is over. This is going to be a long war, we’re prepared for a long war, and we’ve shown that we’re capable of fighting this war, and that’s what brought us to this point.

“This particular battle, we won that yesterday and we are not going to allow anyone to minimise the importance of what we have achieved. “We want our members to enjoy that victory of that particular battle, but the war is still on and we are not going to lose focus that it is a marathon, so we are going to keep fighting.”

He said, “The ADC accepts the rulings of the Supreme Court and is ready to return to the Federal High Court as directed by the apex court.

He praised the justices for what he called the thoroughness of their submissions.

“Anyone who has sat through the proceedings and heard the submissions of the justices would acknowledge the thoroughness of their work,” he said.

The party is still confident of its case at the federal high court, he said.

“In the case that let’s go back to the high court, we are very confident that we have a very clear case, and the issue is about leadership,” Bolaji stated. “It is very clear and established that everything that has to do with the leadership of a political party is not justiciable.”

The ADC chieftain said the party was confident in the legal system but would continue to pursue all lawful avenues where it felt it had been treated unfairly.

“Where we find that we have been treated unfairly in accordance with the law, we are going to explore opportunities to seek redress, and we will continue to do so like we have in this case up to the highest court of the land,” he said. That’s what the laws are for.

“If a judge rules against us in court and we are not happy, we go to the next level until God says it is okay because after the Supreme Court, there is no next level.”

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