Court Remands Two in Prison Over False Publication Against Ex-Head of State, Abubakar

Two persons have been remanded in a correctional centre by a Federal High Court sitting in Minna, Niger State for purportedly publishing an injurious statement on social media against former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar.

Jude Akaeze, the police prosecutor, had presented four counts against the defendants, Abdulkareem Ajibola and Anas Umar, Barrister NG reports.

Akaeze said the defendants contravened Section 24(1b) cyber cafe crime law.

He prayed for an adjournment to enable him, present witnesses, to prove his allegations against the defendants.

But, the defending counsel, Abdulkareem Abubakar moved for the motion for bail, arguing that his clients had already stayed for one month in the correctional centre and pleaded not guilty to the four counts.

However, the presiding Judge, Justice Emeka Nwite urged the defending counsel to apply for bail.

He thereafter adjourned the case to July 26, 2021, to commence trial while the defendants would be remanded in the correctional centre.

The defendants were accused of allegedly publishing and circulating on social media information that Abdulsalami owned a helicopter allegedly seized around Erena in the Shiroro local government area of the Niger state supplying arms and other logistics to bandits terrorising the state.