PEPC: Police to arraign publisher’s brother for false accusation

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), yesterday, said it would arraign Chike Ibezim, an entrepreneur and the younger brother to the publisher of Reportera News, Nnamdi Ibezim, for being complicit to cyber-stalking, cyber-bullying and conspiracy.

Chike was arrested on August 10, following a publication of the news platform, established by Nnamdi Ibezim, claiming that former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, was drafting the presidential election tribunal verdict that would be handed to judges.

Fashola denied the claim and petitioned the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over the “defamatory” report.

Following a report from Priory Terrace Solicitors on behalf Fashola, the Nigerian Police Investigators from the Force Intelligence Bureau said it has carried out intensive investigations into the complaint and discovered that the suspect made a false publication on his handle – @ReporteraNews on the social media platform ‘X’, formerly known as Twitter on Saturday, August 5.

According to the post on the social media platform, the complainant was alleged to be involved in the drafting of a controversial verdict in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal and that the military have been deployed to his residence to restrict movement thereby intending to cast aspersion on the person of the former Minister, contrary to Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015, which has the potential to cause harm, distress, and damage to his reputation, as well as posing great threats to national security and stability of “our dear country”.

According to police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, investigations to wit: technical and tactical analysis into the phone number used for making the publication in question, it was discovered that it is registered to one Chike Ibezim.

“Armed with this intelligence, police investigators proceeded to the office address of the suspect in Maitama, Abuja, where Chike Ibezim was arrested, while Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim, and one Tope who it was alleged handles all social media correspondences are currently at large and have not honoured all invitations by the Nigeria Police Force.

“Therefore, the Nigeria Police Force state clearly that their radar is on other individuals who are involved in the case and others alike for possible arrest and prosecution.

“The NPF thereby warn that cyber-stalking and other cyber-related unguarded utterances are criminal and capable of heating up the polity and causing chaos.

“This new trend of cyber-stalking, and a massive spread of fake news should be discouraged in all manners for our collective sake, and the sake of our dear country,” Adejobi added.