The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, ordered the remand in Kuje Correctional Centre of a retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam. The retired officer was arraigned for, among other things, supporting a proscribed terrorist organization, Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
He was arraigned on a four-count charge, including joining IPOB, posting messages in support of the proscribed organization, and involvement in acts capable of inducing unsuspecting members of the public to join IPOB.
The DSS told the court, presided by Justice Muhammed Umar, that what the retired officer did were contrary to and punishable under Sections 13, 25, 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
When the charges were read out to the Ezeakolam, he pleaded “not guilty” to all the four counts. Thereafter, the prosecution applied for a trial date and urged the court to remand him in custody pending trial.
Justice Umar adjourned the matter to October 29 for commencement of trial. He further ordered that Ezeakolam be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Count One read:
That you, Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, adult, male, sometime 2025 and 2026, at Abuja and Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly and indirectly render support by providing moral assistance and disseminating terrorist information of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB, a proscribed organization, through the internet and your social media platforms, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 13 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count Two:
That you, Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, adult, male, sometime 2025 and 2026, in Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did join Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organization, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 25 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count Three:
That you, Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, adult, male, sometime 2025 and 2026, at Abuja and Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did knowingly directly and indirectly aid and abet the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) by posting on social media platforms messages calculated to induce unsuspecting members of the public to support Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organization, and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 26 of Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
Count Four:
That you, Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, adult, male, sometime 2025 and 2026, at Abuja and Abia State, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, on social media platforms did post and cause to be accessed, messages aimed at advancing the cause o Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a proscribed organization and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 18 of Cybercrimes (Prevention, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015, as amended.
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