The federal high court in Lagos has remanded Nwanorue John Surpruchi, a 19-year-old blogger, over allegations of publishing “false and defamatory” posts about Tony Elumelu, the chief executive officer (CEO) of United Bank for Africa.
Surpruchi was arraigned on Friday on a four count-charge bordering on cyberstalking and criminal intimidation of Elumelu.
The police accused the blogger of allegedly using his X account with the user name, @PROBLElEMCHIMKYI, to make a post claiming that Elumelu had “divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him”.
“That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit, cyberstalking, by agreeing to use a computer system and network to disseminate false and injurious information against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Bank for Africa, Mr Tony Elumelu, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended),” the charge sheet reads.
“That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly and intentionally sent and caused to be sent through a computer system via a Twitter account (x) known as ‘@PROBLElEMCHIMKYI’ (registered with your name) to John Surpruchi Nwanorue (phone number 07049845280 ) a message which you knew to be false and grossly offensive and menacing in character, to wit: that the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of UBA, Mr Tony Elumelu, had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him, with Intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, insult, hatred and ill will and criminal intimidation to him and his family. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).”
According to Channels Television, the defendant pleaded not guilty after the charges were read to him.
A.G. Obi, the police prosecutor from the force criminal investigation department (CID), Alagbon, told the court that she received the bail application of the defendant on Friday morning.
Obi said she would need time to study the documents and file an appropriate response.
She asked the court to remand the blogger in the custody of the correctional centre pending the determination of the bail
She also asked the court for a date for commencement of trial.
Responding, Anslem Etoh, counsel to the defendant, appealed to the court for a short adjournment for the hearing of the bail application.
After the submission of the counsel, Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa, the trial judge, adjourned the matter to June 19 for the hearing of the bail application.
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