*Court orders case file transmission to Attorney General
By Florencemary Nwabueze
A Magistrate Court sitting in Amawbia, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, has refused bail for online publisher and blogger Ejike Ofoegbu, who was arraigned today, July 13, 2026, on charges of publishing fabricated stories and defamatory content against Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo and his family, claiming that the governor has disowned his son Ozonna and that the son called him a drunkard who beats his mum.
Ofoegbu, who operates under the platforms Igbo Times Magazine and iNews, faces legal action under Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act and Criminal Code for alleged cyberstalking, criminal defamation, and identity theft.
Magistrate C.O. Ezekwere ordered the compilation and transmission of the original police case file to the Attorney General and Ministry of Justice, along with records of the magistrate court hearing. The magistrate advised the defendant to proceed to the High Court in Awka to seek bail, noting that the magistrate court lacks jurisdiction to try the matter.
The ruling followed appearances by A.A. Nwanri for the plaintiff, as well as the Chief Security Officer to the Governor, O.K. Nkuma, and Inspector Tochukwu Echemagu of the D-4 Section, State CID, Awka, who presented a motion exparte for the defendant's remand at the Awka Correctional Center.
According to court documents, Ofoegbu is accused of creating and publishing fabricated stories, defamatory content, and what prosecutors described as "satanic works of fiction" presented as journalism, allegedly for the purpose of generating online traffic and financial gain.
The primary target of the publications was Governor Soludo and his family, specifically his son, Ozonna. The defendant allegedly published false claims including:
· That the Governor had "disowned" his son
· That the son called his father a "drunkard who beat my mom"
· Allegations of a "drinking competition" between the Governor and a minister
The charges are predicated on several provisions of Nigerian law, including:
· Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015: Section 24(1)(b) regarding cyberstalking and Section 38 regarding identity theft
· Criminal Code Act: Sections 373 and 375 regarding defamatory matter
· 2024 Amendment to the Cybercrime Act
Court documents revealed that the defendant had previously issued a "Public Apology and Full Retraction" for his publications. Despite this, he is facing legal action under Nigerian cyber laws and the Criminal Code.
The case has been adjourned to July 27, 2026, for compliance with the court's directives.