The Police Force said it has concluded arrangements to arraign in court a man identified as Nnamdi Emmanuel Ibezim for cyberstalking the former Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola.
The police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Wednesday, said Ibezim will be arraigned once the court resumes following a report from Priory Terrace Solicitors on behalf of Fashola.
“Police Investigators from the Force Intelligence Bureau 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 5th August, 2023,” Adejobi said.
He added that Ibezim alleged that the complainant, Fashola was involved in the drafting of a controversial verdict in the ongoing Presidential Election Petition Tribunal (PEPT).
Ibezim also said that the military had been deployed to Fashola’s residence to restrict movement, thereby intending to cast aspersion on the person of the former Minister.
Adejobi said the false accusation is contrary to Section 24 of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention) Act, 2015 which has the potential to cause harm, distress and damage to Fashola’s reputation as well as posing great threats to national security and stability of our dear country.
“Further 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,” Adejobi said.
“Armed with this intelligence, police investigators proceeded to the office address of the suspect in Maitama, Abuja, where Chike Ibezim was arrested.”
Meanwhile, the spokesperson said that 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 police.
“In this wise, the Nigeria Police Force wishes to state clearly that our radar is on other individuals who are involved in this case and others alike for possible arrest and prosecution,” Adejobi stated.
The Police further warned that cyberstalking and other cyber-related unguarded utterances are criminal and capable of heating up the polity and causing chaos.
Adejobi also said this new trend of cyberstalking and a massive spread of fake news should be discouraged for the collective sake of Nigerians and the sake of the country.
