Court Grants Lawyer N5m Bail Over Alleged Cyberbullying
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Justice Rita Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted lawyer Ahmed Abdulrahman, accused of cyberbullying Senator Shehu Umar Buba, bail of N5 million with two sureties of like sum.
Ruling on the bail application on Monday, Justice Ajumogobia stated that the two sureties must own landed property with a Certificate of Occupancy in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). She further ordered that the sureties submit their Certificate of Occupancy and international passports to the court, and that the defendant remain in custody until the bail conditions are fully met.
Ahmed Abdulrahman, along with four others, is being prosecuted by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over allegations of cyberbullying Senator Shehu Umar Buba, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence.
In the charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 and filed by Anthony Egwu on October 6, the IGP named Abdulrahman, 41; Daure David, 35; Ishaq Muhammed, 25; Abdulrashid Musa, 30; and Nasir Abubakar, 21, as the 1st to 5th defendants, respectively.
The defendants were arraigned on October 30 on an 11-count charge involving cybercrime, defamation, advance fee fraud, and other offences. They all pleaded not guilty, and Justice Ajumogobia ordered their remand at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Abuja.
In count one, the defendants were alleged to have, sometime in 2025, conspired among themselves “to commit an offence, to wit: cyberstalking against Senator Shehu Umar Buba.” The offence is contrary to Section 27(1)(b) and punishable under Section 21(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (as amended 2024).
In count three, Abdulrahman, the 1st defendant, was alleged to have intentionally sent a video via his TikTok account “Kibanna Channel” and his YouTube channel to defame the lawmaker by linking him to the sponsorship of banditry, with the intention of tarnishing his reputation as a serving Senator.
He allegedly stated: “Senator Shehu Umar Buba, a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a sponsor of banditry and called for his investigation,” a statement made via computer systems and networks, knowing it to be false, with the purpose of causing a breakdown of law and order and instilling fear of death in the Senator.
The offence is also contrary to Section 24(1)(5) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 (as amended 2024), among other counts.
In a separate count, Daure David was accused of attempting to extort N5 million from Senator Shehu Umar Buba under the false pretense that the money would be used to settle individuals planning to protest against him.
