A Magistrate Court I, sitting at Amawbia near Awka, Anambra State capital, on Monday ordered the remand of a blogger and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, Ejike Ofoegbu, over allegations bordering on criminal defamation against the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, members of his family, and his son, Ozonna.
The defendant, who is facing a three-count charge of identity theft, defamation and cyber stalking, was ordered to be remanded at the Awka Correctional Centre by Chief Magistrate C.O. Ezekwere, who presided over the matter.
The remand order followed an ex parte application moved by the prosecuting counsel, A.A. Nwanri, in suit No. M/W/3136/2026, seeking an order remanding the defendant at the Awka Correctional Centre, pending the conclusion of police investigations and the transmission of the case file to the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice for legal advice.
Appearing before the court were A.A. Nwanri for the prosecution, the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, O.K. Nkuma, and Inspector Tochukwu Echemagu of the D-4 Section, State Criminal Investigation Department, Awka, in support of the ex parte application for the defendant’s remand.
The prosecution further alleged that the defendant published several false and defamatory reports, including claims that Soludo had publicly disowned his son; that Ozonna allegedly described his father as “a drunkard who beat my mom”; and that the governor engaged in a “drinking competition” with a serving minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The prosecution maintained that these publications were entirely false, malicious, and deliberately designed to injure the reputation, character, and public image of the Governor and members of his family.
According to the prosecution, the defendant’s conduct constituted offences under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended by the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, particularly Section 24(1)(b) relating to cyberstalking and Section 38 concerning identity theft and impersonation.
The court also relied on Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act, which criminalise the publication of defamatory matter.
In his ruling, the presiding Magistrate, C.O. Ezekwere, ordered that the original police case file, together with all exhibits relating to the matter, be compiled and transmitted to the Office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Anambra State, for legal advice.
Ezekwere further directed that the complete record of proceedings before the Magistrate Court be forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions, Awka.
The magistrate held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain or determine the substantive charges against the defendant.
Consequently, he declined jurisdiction over the bail application and advised the defendant to approach the High Court of Anambra State, Awka Judicial Division, for the determination of any application for bail.
In the enrolled order, Magistrate Ezekwere said, “The Chief Security Officer to the Anambra State Government, O.K. Nkuma, and Inspector Tochukwu Echemagu, attached to the State Criminal Investigation Department of the Anambra State Command of the Nigeria Police Force, are hereby entered into recognisance in the sum of ₦50,000.00 each to testify on behalf of the prosecution before the Anambra State High Court of Justice whenever required, until the final determination of this matter.
“It is further ordered that the prosecution shall compile and transmit the original police case file, together with all exhibits relating to this matter, to the Office of the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, Awka.
“The prosecution is equally directed to transmit the original record of proceedings in this case, alongside the original police case file, to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Awka, for legal advice.”
The court, however, advised the defendant to approach the High Court in Awka for bail, noting that the Magistrate Court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter.
“The application for bail before this Court is hereby refused for want of jurisdiction. The matter is hereby adjourned to July 27, 2026 for a report on compliance with the court’s orders while the defendant will be remanded at the correctional centre pending further hearing,” the magistrate stated.
It was earlier recalled that the defendant had previously issued a public apology and full retraction in respect of the disputed publications.
Notwithstanding the apology and retraction, the prosecution proceeded with the present criminal proceedings, maintaining that the defendant remains criminally liable under the Cybercrimes Act and the Criminal Code for alleged offences including criminal defamation, cyberstalking, identity theft, and impersonation.
The prosecution contended that the subsequent retraction and apology neither extinguish nor absolve any criminal liability arising from the alleged commission of the offences and therefore do not preclude prosecution where the State considers that sufficient evidence exists to sustain the charges.
