The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Thursday ordered the remand of a lawyer, Ahmed Abdulrahman, and four others at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), following their arraignment.
The five defendants were arraigned on allegations bordering on cyberbullying the Cairman, Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence, Shehu Unar.
Justice Offili Ajumogobia, who gave the order for their detention, held that the defendants would be in custody until November 10 when their bail application would be considered.
The Inspector-General of Police had preferred an 11-count charge against the five defendants.
The IG named Abdulrahman, 41 years; Daure David, 35; Ishaq Muhammed, 25; Abdulrashid Musa, 30; and Nasir Abubakar, 21, as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.
The charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 dated Oct. 3 and filed by Anthony Egwu on Oct. 6, is on allegations bordering on cybercrime, defamation, advance fee fraud, among others.
When the case was called, IG’s lawyer, Victor Okoye, said the matter was scheduled for the defendants’ arraignment.
After the counts were read to them, the defendants pleaded not guilty.
Mr Okoye then asked for a trial date and prayed the court for the defendants to be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Counsel to the lawyer, Affis Matanmi, however moved a bail application on behalf of his client.
Matanmi, who sought a bail on self-recognition, said Abdulrahman is a lawyer called to the Nigerian Bar.
According to him, we brought his originals of certificate of call to bar.
He said Abdulrahman, who is a lawyer of the Supreme Court, would not interfere with police investigation and witnesses if admitted to bail.
He reminded the court that police, on their own, granted him an administrative bail and he complied with the bail terms.
Okoye, however, opposed the bail application vehemently.
The prosecuting lawyer informed the court that shortly after the lawyer was admitted to administrative bail, he engaged in two other cyberbullying offences and that, his name featured prominently in five of the eleven count charges.
Okoye further argued that though the profession ought to be respected, there was no provision in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA), 2015, and the 1999 Constitution that confer any special treatment on any legal practitioner involved in criminality.
After taking arguments for and against the bail application, Justice Ajumogobia ordered that the defendants be remanded at the Force CID for Matanmi to file further affidavit and reply on points of law to the weighty allegations contained in the counter affidavit against his client.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until November 10 for hearing.
In count one, the suspects were alleged to have, sometime in 2025, conspired among themselves “to commit an offence, to wit; cyberstalking against Sen. Shehu Buba Umar.”
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 27(1)(b) and punishable under Section. 21(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024.
In count three, Abdulrahman, the 1st suspect, was alleged to have, sometime in 2025, intentionally sent a video via his Tiktok handle with username “Kibanna Channel” and his YouTube channel to defame the lawmaker.
The suspect was alleged to have stated that “Sen. Umar, a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a sponsor of banditry and further called for his investigation, a statement you made by means of computer systems and network knowing same to be false, for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order.”
The offence is also said to be contrary to Section 24(1}(5) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024, among other counts.
(NAN)
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