Police arraign blogger who allegedly defamed Tony Elumelu
By Onyewuchi Ojinnaka
A 19-year-old blogger Nwanorue John Surpruchi was on Friday remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services facility following his arraignment by the Police before a Federal High Court sitting in Lagos over alleged criminal defamation of the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, (C.E.O) of United Bank for Africa, (UBA) Mr Tony Elumelu.
Nwanorue John Surpruchi was arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis Allagoa on a four counts charge bothering on cyberstalking, bulling and defaming the UBA Chief Executive Officer.
According to the charge, Nwanorue John Surpruchi and others now at large were alleged to have on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, conspired amongst themselves 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
When the matter came up on Friday May 29 for arraignment, the prosecutor A.G. Obi from the Directorate of Legal Services, Force CID, Alagbon Lagos informed the court that the prosecution has a four counts charge pending before the court and prayed the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendant can take his plea.
Consequently the charge was read and the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Following the not guilty plea of the defendant, Obi informed the court of the prosecution readiness to proceed with the matter. However she informed the court that she had just received a motion for bail early in the morning and would need time to study the motion and file appropriate response.
Obi said that in the circumstance, she would be asking for the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.
She further asked for a trial date.
In his own submission, Mr A. Edoh counsel for the defendant confirmed the position of Obi, but pleaded for a short adjournment for the hearing of the bail application.
After listening to both parties , Justice Allagoa adjourned the matter till June 19, 2026 for hearing of the bail application.
The judge further ordered the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Centre.
The charge against the defendant reads:
“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).
COUNT 2: “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) known as @ PROBLEMCHIMKYI (registered with your name John Surpruchi Nwanorue and phone number 07049845280 ) a message which you knew to be false and grossly offensive and menacing character to wit: that the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of UBA 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).
COUNT 3: “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,
(registered with your name: John Surpruchi Nwanorue and phone number 07049845280), to wit: that Mr. Tony Elumelu had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him, which information you knew to be false, and which was widely disseminated to 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).
COUNT 4: “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 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.
