Court Remands Ex-DSS Officer in Kuje Prison Over Alleged IPOB Link
A retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nwaogu Ezeakolam, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged membership of and support for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Ezeakolam pleaded not guilty to a four-count charge bordering on alleged membership of the group, providing moral and material support for its activities and using social media platforms to promote its cause.
The charges were filed before Justice Mohammed Umar by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.
The prosecution alleged that the former DSS officer knowingly joined IPOB, provided moral and material support to the organisation, encouraged public support for the group through online publications and posted messages allegedly intended to advance its activities.
Read Also:
The alleged offences contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, and the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.
Following the arraignment, prosecution counsel, Memunat Oladunjoye, requested a date for the commencement of trial.
Defence counsel, Godfirst Maduka, meanwhile, informed the court of his intention to file an application seeking bail for the defendant.
Justice Umar subsequently fixed October 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial and ordered that Ezeakolam be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.
The judge noted that the defence could file the bail application at any time.
The case will now proceed to trial, where the prosecution will be required to establish the allegations against the defendant beyond the applicable legal standard.
By PRNigeria
