A Magistrate Court in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Wednesday ordered the remand of Mr. Aye Egberi, head of the Social Media team of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), at the Okaka Medium Correctional Facility for 30 days.
Egberi, 37, is facing allegations of cyberstalking involving the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Idu, Governor Douye Diri, and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
According to the charge sheet before Magistrate Court 14, Egberi was arrested by Operation Puff Adder, led by CSP Chris Uwaogbo, over a series of online publications. He allegedly accused the Police Commissioner and Governor Diri of masterminding the July abduction of State High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerim Umokoro, and was also accused of using a fake Facebook account to publish defamatory articles against Minister Lokpobiri, alleging he orchestrated the formation of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Bayelsa State.
The police stated that Egberi’s publications were deliberate attempts to sabotage security efforts aimed at rescuing the abducted judge and ensuring public safety.
At the hearing of suit number YMCA/747c/2025, presided over by Magistrate Stanley Ekeru, the prosecution requested Egberi’s remand pending further investigations into the alleged cyberbullying.
Police prosecution counsel, Japhet O. Japhet Esq., told the court that the defendant “used the said Facebook accounts to ridicule, mock and target the State Gov, Police CP and others to cause breakdown of law and order in the state, posing a threat to them and their families. That the said publication is targeted at endangering the lives of the State Governor and the Police Commissioner and others.”
He further argued that the alleged offence falls under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024), which prescribes a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a fine of ₦25 million upon conviction, and is triable at the Federal High Court. Japhet stressed that the Magistrate Court had the authority to remand the accused pending advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) or arraignment at the High Court.
In his ruling, Magistrate Stanley Ekeru ordered that Egberi be remanded at the Medium Correctional Facility in Okaka while further police investigations into the charges continue.
