Cyberstalking: Fresh legal battle brews between Ujunwa Ibegbu and Lagos branch of Ogidi Women’s Wing
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A fresh legal battle is brewing between Mrs Ujunwa Ibegbu and ten members of the Lagos branch of the Ogidi Town Union Women’s Wing, along with its leadership, over cyberstalking petitions.
The anticipated dispute stems from a petition filed with the police by Mrs Ibegbu through her lawyer, alleging that a fresh complaint against her was sponsored and submitted via a proxy, Mrs Chizoba Mbanusi.
This new petition against Mrs Ibegbu—lodged by a group from the women’s wing under the leadership of Chizoba Mbanusi—comes barely two months after an understanding was reached between the parties in October 2025. That agreement followed a terms of settlement adopted by the court, leading to the withdrawal of a cyberstalking criminal suit previously filed by Ibegbu against the women.
In response to the fresh petition, Mrs Ibegbu, through her lawyer, has respectfully urged the Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon Annex, Lagos, to use his good offices to either halt further investigation and possible prosecution of the new petition or order the recall and consolidation of both the former and current petitions for a comprehensive review.
A letter of invitation from the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC), dated November 11, 2025, and signed by Superintendent of Police Abubakar A. Smart, titled “Investigation Activities: Invitation Letter,” was sent to Mrs Ujunwa Ibegbu via WhatsApp. It invited her for investigation and clarification regarding allegations of cyberstalking and written threats of murder contained in a petition filed against her.
The invitation, issued by the FCID Annex, Alagbon Close, Ikoyi, Lagos, requested that Mrs Ibegbu appear for an interview with the Assistant Director, NPF-NCCC Lagos, on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at 10:00 hrs, behind the State Criminal Investigations Department, Panti, Yaba, Lagos.
Shocked by the development, Mrs Ibegbu consulted her lawyer and instructed him to file a counter-petition on the same matter, which she maintains had already been resolved in court.
Acting on her instructions, Christian C. Ngwu Esq. of Fountain’s Chambers wrote a petition addressed to the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, FCID, Lagos Annex, Alagbon, Lagos. Titled “Re: Pending Cases Affecting Our Client and Some Members of Ogidi Union Nigeria, Women Wing, Lagos Branch – An Unlawful, Unexpected and Unwarranted Attempt by the Director, Nigerian Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), Lagos Annex, to Manoeuvre Your Office by Reopening a Case Already Handled Under Your Office Vide: Investigation Activities – Invitation Letter to Mrs. Ujunwa Ibegbu; Ref: CR: 3000/X/NPF-NCCC/ANNEX/ADM/LS/TC/VOL.1/388 – 24/11/2025.”
In the petition, he stated that about two years ago, Mrs Ujunwa Ibegbu lodged a formal complaint at the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, Area 11, Garki, Abuja. Upon approval, the petition was forwarded to the FCID office in Lagos for investigation and possible prosecution.
All parties were subsequently invited by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), acting under the directive of the AIG’s predecessor. After extensive investigation—despite several delays caused by the suspects (who later became accused persons/defendants)—the matter resulted in a formal charge before a Federal High Court, Lagos, presided over by Honourable Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke in Charge No: FHC/L/888C/2024.
Prior to the filing of the charge, the suspects instituted Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1319/2024, purportedly for the enforcement of their fundamental rights—an action clearly designed to frustrate and halt further investigation. Notwithstanding, the police diligently concluded investigations and filed charges upon establishing a prima facie case based on concrete and empirical findings.
Upon the filing of the charge and arraignment of the accused persons—namely Onyeka Udemezue, U.K. Agbogu, Obiageli Obiakor, Ogochukwu Okeke, Uche Mbelu, Lizzy Obianyo, Nonye Okafor, Nkechi Okudo, Ifeoma Ikechukwu Udoh, Ogochukwu Agbogu, and Elochukwu Abada Okoye—community leaders of Ogidi Town, Anambra State, intervened and appealed to Mrs Ibegbu to withdraw the criminal charge.
After considerable persuasion, including several meetings in Ogidi, Mrs Ibegbu agreed in principle to withdraw the charge on the condition that the defendants discontinue their fundamental rights action against her and the police.
These same individuals were applicants in Suit No: FHC/L/CS/1319/2024, filed for themselves and on behalf of Ogidi Union Nigeria, Women Wing, Lagos Branch, naming as respondents: Mrs Ujunwa Ibegbu; the Inspector-General of Police; and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, FCID, Alagbon, Lagos.
The suit was clearly intended to intimidate the police office into abandoning the investigation, but that effort proved unsuccessful.
On November 24, 2025, Mrs Ibegbu received an invitation letter via WhatsApp, signed by Abubakar A. Smart, Superintendent of Police, on behalf of the Director, NPF-NCCC, Lagos Annex, directing her to report to the National Cybercrime Centre on December 3, 2025.
This development came as a shock, as the earlier matter investigated by the FCID also bordered on allegations of cybercrime. It is therefore difficult to view the present petition as coincidental; rather, it appears to be a continuation of the earlier dispute, driven by vendetta and executed through a proxy complainant who previously had no dealings whatsoever with Mrs Ibegbu.
The petition submits that this amounts to an attempt to reopen or relitigate issues already investigated and processed under the FCID. The earlier petition was duly investigated by the X-Squad Department, and the case file was reviewed by the Legal Department before charges were filed.
Allowing the fresh petition to proceed without a holistic review risks reopening a matter already substantially treated and may undermine the peace process brokered by Ogidi community leaders, including the traditional ruler.
It is important to note that Mrs Ibegbu’s original petition predates the current one and was never conclusively determined. Accordingly, priority consideration should be given to her complaint.
Mrs Ibegbu remains willing to defend herself against the fresh allegations while also pursuing the conclusive resolution of her earlier petition. Both matters stem from the same leadership crisis within Ogidi Union Nigeria, Women Wing, Lagos Branch, and should not be treated in isolation.
Recall that Justice Chukwujekwu Aneke adopted and ordered implementation of the terms of settlement reached by the parties in Suit No. FHC/L/CS/888C/2024, issued on November 10, 2025.
Meanwhile, the fundamental rights suit filed before Justice Owoeye of a Federal High Court, Lagos—between Barr. Onyeka Udemezue and Others vs. Mrs Ujunwa Patricia Ibegbu—has yet to be withdrawn or discontinued as agreed in the terms of settlement adopted and ordered on November 10 by the court. The matter still appears on the cause list and has been adjourned to June 10.
