Alleged defamation: Detained Anambra Twitter user Chude freed

A Twitter user, Nnamdi Chude, who was arrested by the police following a petition by a Nigerian oil magnate, Emeka Offor, over alleged defamation of character, has been released on Friday, The PUNCH reports.

The PUNCH reports that Chude, an ardent supporter of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, was released after spending six days in several police detention facilities including the station of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Awkuzu, in Anambra State, and at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja.

Chude, who spoke to our correspondent who posed as an undercover journalist during a visit to the FCID, prior to his release on Friday, confirmed that he was arrested on March 18 by the Anambra State Cybersecurity Police unit in Onitsha and was taken to Anambra State Criminal Investigative Department, Awka (former Awkuzu SARS), where he was first detained and allegedly tortured, before he was later covertly transported by road to Enugu Airport where he was flown to the FCID, Abuja the following day.

Although the NPF had yet to reveal the identity of the petitioner, Chude, on Friday, told our correspondent that he was arrested for alleged defamation of character following a petition by Mr Offor over a tweet he made on Monday, March 13, alleging that the President-elect, Mr Bola Tinubu, had contacted Mr Offor to plead with Mr Peter Obi to accept what he tagged “a rigged result”.

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“So officialABAT called Emeka Offor to beg Peter Obi to accept the rigged result. If he is sure the people voted for APC and he won the election, why is he running around pleading with everyone to help beg Peter Obi to accept the result?” Chude had tweeted.

Speaking with our correspondent from detention on Friday, Chude said, “My arrest was as a result of a petition written to the police by Emeka Offor alleging defamation of character. According to the petition which was shown to me by the police, Mr Offor claimed that I defamed him in my March 13 tweet where I wrote that Tinubu had called him to beg Obi to accept the election result.

“When I got here, they were asking me to provide evidence to back my tweet but I couldn’t.

“However, I was supposed to have been released on Wednesday after my lawyer had perfected my bail condition which required a Level 16 civil servant to stand as surety for my release, but I was later informed that an executive order came from the IGP asking the FCID to detain me further.”

Meanwhile, earlier on, following online agitation for his whereabouts and offence, the police had revealed in a press statement on Wednesday that a petition was filed against Chude for allegedly violating Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and other criminal laws, and that he was being investigated by the Force National Cyber Crime Centre.

The NPF also revealed that a prima facie case had been established against Chude, adding that his case file had been forwarded to the Force Legal Department for further action.

Confirming his arrest and the allegation levelled against him in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, claimed that Chude was arrested for cyber-stalking.

Adejobi said, “The Nigeria Police hereby confirm that one Mr. Chude Nnamdi with Twitter handle ‘chude__’ was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State on March 18, 2023, and he is being investigated by the NPF-NCCC Abuja, for cyber-stalking, pursuant to a complaint received via a petition, about his activities on social media which contravenes the provision of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and other criminal laws.”