The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has announced the imminent arraignment of Chike Ibezim, an entrepreneur and younger brother of Nnamdi Ibezim, the publisher of Reportera News. He has been implicated in cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying, and conspiracy.
Chike was taken into custody on August 10 after his brother’s publication on Nnamdi Ibezim’s news platform alleged that former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, was involved in preparing the presidential election tribunal verdict for judges. Fashola refuted the claim and lodged a complaint with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) regarding the “defamatory” report.
Upon receiving a report from Priory Terrace Solicitors on behalf of Fashola, the Nigerian Police Investigators embarked on a rigorous investigation into the allegation. They discovered that the suspect had disseminated false information through his @ReporteraNews account on the social media platform ‘X’ (formerly known as Twitter) on Saturday, August 5.
The post insinuated Fashola’s involvement in the controversial presidential election petition tribunal verdict and the deployment of the military to restrict his movements. The police claimed that the post aimed to tarnish the former Minister’s reputation, contravening Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015. This act has the potential to “cause harm, distress, and damage to his reputation and pose great threats to national security and the stability of our country.”
Muyiwa Adejobi, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force, addressed the media in Abuja, revealing that technical and tactical analysis of the phone number used to make the publication indicated it was registered to Chike Ibezim.
“Armed with this intelligence, police investigators apprehended Chike Ibezim at his office address in Maitama, Abuja. Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim and an individual named Tope, who allegedly manages all social media correspondences, are currently evading authorities and have failed to respond to police invitations. Therefore, the Nigeria Police Force asserts that they are also focused on apprehending and prosecuting other individuals involved in this case and similar offenses.
The NPF warns that cyber-stalking and other cyber-related reckless remarks are criminal activities that can incite chaos and unsettle societal peace. This growing trend of cyber-stalking and the widespread dissemination of fake news must be discouraged for the collective well-being of our country.”
Chike expressed to the media that he has no knowledge of his brother’s whereabouts. He clarified that the number used to share the post on ‘X’ belongs to his startup business, and he was unaware of his brother’s use of it.
Watch the video of Chike being paraded below