The Inspector General of Police through Force Criminal Investigation Department (ForceCID) Annex Alagbon-Ikoyi Lagos, has arraigned a blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, before a Federal High Court, Lagos over alleged cyberstalking and defamatory publications against the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Mr. Tony Elumelu.
The ForceCID in a charge marked FHC/L/316c/2026 alleged that the defendant spread false information through a Twitter (now X) account identified as @problemchlmkyi.
The defendant was arraigned before the court presided over by Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on a four count-charge of conspiracy, cyberstalking, dissemination of false information.
The prosecutor, Barrister A. G. Obi, informed the court that the defendant alongside others still at large, claimed in the defamatory publication that Elumelu had divorced his wife after discovering through DNA tests that none of his seven children belonged to him.
The prosecution also that the defendant published the defamatory publication on or about April 5, 2026, and such was widely disseminated across social media platforms.
The prosecutor revealed that the post allegedly generated massive online engagement, attracting approximately 1.9 million views, over 1,600 reposts, more than 6,300 likes, and hundreds of saves by users.
The defendant’s actions were alleged to have Mr. Elumelu and his family annoyance, hatred, ill-will, and intimidation, reputational damage and exposing them to public ridicule.
The alleged illegal acts of the defendant according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 27(1)(b); 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended). And Section Sections 373 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
The defendant denied the allegations and pleaded not guilty to the four counts charge.
Upon his not guilty plea, the prosecutor informed the court that she’s just been served with the defendant’s bail application and she needs time to read through and file her response.
She therefore asked the court for trial date, while also prayed that the defendant be remanded pending trial.
In the same vein, lawyer to the defendant, Barrister Anslem Etoh, informed the court that his client’s bail application is still being processed. He therefore asked the court for a short date.
By the agreement of the counsel, Justice Lewis-Allagoa, adjourned the matter to June 19, 2026, for hearing of the bail application.
The judge thereafter ordered that the defendant be remanded in the facility of the Nigerian Correctional Services NCoS pending the hearing and determination of his bail application.
Charges against the defendant read; “That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit felony to wit: Cyberstalking, by agreeing to use a computer system and network to disseminate false and injurious information against the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of United Bank for Africa one Mr. Tony Elumelu, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
“That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, knowingly and intentionally sent and caused to be sent through a computer system, via a Twitter (x) handle known as @PROBLEMCHLMKYI (registered with your name: John Surpruchi Nwanorue and phone number 07049845280), a message which you knew to be’ false and ofa grossly offensive and menacing character, to wit: that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of United Bank for Africa, Mr. Tony Elumelu, had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him, with intent to causing annoyance, inconvenience, Insult, hatred, ill-will and criminal intimidation to him and his family, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
“That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchl, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did knowingly send and cause to be sent through a computer system and network, false information via Twitter (X) handle known as @PROBLEMCHLMKYT (registared with your name Nwanorue John Surpruchi and phone number 07049845280), to wit: that Mr Tony Elumelu had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children train to him, which Information you knew to be false, and which was widely disseminated by the public, having been viewed by approximately 1.9 million persons, reposted about 1,600 times, received about 6,300 likes and saved by about 601 users, with Intent to bully, threaten or harass the person of Tony Elumelu, thereby causing Injury to his reputation and exposing him to public ridicule, you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
“That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did publish a defamatory matter concerning Mr. Tony Elumelu and his family via a Twitter (x) platform, which publication you knew to be false and which exposed him to hatred, ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 373 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.”
