The police on Friday arraigned a 19-year-old blogger, Nurenorue Surpruchi, before the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged cyberstalking and defamatory publications targeting the Chairman of United Bank for Africa, Tony Elumelu.
Surpruchi was arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy, cyberstalking, bullying and defamation.
The defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him.
According to the prosecution, Surpruchi and others still at large allegedly conspired on April 5, 2026, to use a computer system and network to circulate false and injurious information about Elumelu.
When the matter came up for arraignment, prosecution counsel, A.G. Obi, from the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Alagbon, informed the court that the prosecution had filed a four-count charge against the defendant and requested that the charges be read to him for plea.
Following the defendant’s not guilty plea, the prosecutor told the court that although the prosecution was prepared to proceed with the case, it had only just been served with the defendant’s bail application earlier in the day.
She requested time to study the application and file a response, while also urging the court to remand the defendant pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.
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The prosecution further sought a trial date.
Defence counsel, A. Edoh, confirmed that the bail application had only recently been served on the prosecution and appealed for a short adjournment to allow the court hear the application.
After listening to both parties, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the matter until June 19, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application and ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
According to one of the charges, the defendant allegedly used an X account identified as “@PROBLElEMCHIMKYI,” said to be registered in his name, to publish false and offensive claims alleging that Elumelu had divorced his wife after DNA tests reportedly showed that none of his seven children belonged to him.
The prosecution alleged that the publication attracted about 1.9 million views, 1,600 reposts, 6,300 likes and more than 600 saves on the platform.
It further claimed that the publication was intended to bully, threaten, harass and damage the reputation of the UBA chairman by exposing him to public ridicule.
According to the prosecution, the alleged offences contravened Sections 24(1)(b), 24(2)(a) and 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended, as well as Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act, Cap C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.