Nigeria police open up on arrest of activist/LP campaigner, Chude

Nigeria Police have opened up on the whereabouts of popular activist, social media influencer and Labour Party (LP) campaigner, Mr Chude Franklin Nnamdi following a spat with the Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Soludo.

Chude was reportedly arrested in Onitsha, in Anambra, Saturday, March 18 and it was alleged by his followers that the state government may have been behind his detention.

Chude was picked up by the police shortly after he had tweeted about ballot box snatching by thugs loyal to the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra during the governorship and state Assembly poll, Saturday.

“#Breaking: APGA thugs are on rampage in Trans-Nkisi, 3’3 & Awada snatching ballot box. LP is winning comfortably across Anambra. I can’t remember the last time I heard of ballot box snatching in Anambra. This is the height of it. @CCSoludo has taken us back to Mbadinuju’s era,” Chude had tweeted vua his Twitter handle (@chude_).

Sine the arrest, several appeals to Governor Soludo to free the LP campaigner, including the one from the former Minister of Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, an indigene of the state, only served to draw a statement from the Soludo who denied any connection with the disappearance of Chude.

Ezekwesili had issued a statement via her Twitter handle (@obyezeks),Monday, decrying the continued detention of the activist/campaigner, with suspicion rife that he may have been held under the orders of the Anambra governor.

“An extremely sad case of Anambra State Government becoming heavy handed and “majoring in the minors”.

“I took this up with Governor @CCSoludo last night and specifically asked for the immediate release of @chude__ .

“No citizen should suffer for their political views. On this,” Ezekwesili wrote, Monday.

Responding, Soludo issued a statement denying that Chude is being held by the police under his orders, as he, however, hinted that the activist is in the custody of the Nigeria police in Abuja.

In the statement titled; ‘RE: ARREST OF MR. CHUDE BY THE POLICE,’ Soludo said his government ‘has no information about the specific allegations or basis of his arrest.’

“The Commissioner of Police, Anambra State Police Command has confirmed to me, that one Mr Nnamdi Chude was arrested yesterday (18/03/23) in Anambra by the Cyber Crime Unit of Interpol and taken to Abuja today (19/03/23).

“The Anambra State Government has no information about the specific allegations or basis of his arrest,” the governor posted on his verified Twitter account (@CCSoludo), Sunday.

Weighing in on the detention of the LP campaigner, the Presidential candidate of the of the Labour Party and former Governor of Anambra, Peter Obi, Tuesday, condemned Chude’s arrest and detention by the police, even as he appealed ‘to all concerned to please treat the issue most objectively on rule of law, and compassionately release the young man in question.’

According to Obi, ‘arresting Nigerians for tweeting on their leaders and those in authority decimates the opportunity for inclusive governance and accountability which are highly needed in a developing country like Nigeria.’

Obi who issued the statement, Tuesday, via his verified Twitter handle (@peterobi) expressed regret over the arrest of Chude, describing it as ‘a further confirmation of Nigeria’s poor and declining performance in the Rule of Law, Voice and Accountability, and other governance indicators.’

“After due enquiries, I regret to say that the arrest of Mr Nnamdi @chude__ is a further confirmation of Nigeria’s poor and declining performance in the Rule of Law, Voice and Accountability, and other governance indicators.

“With Voice, and Accountability, the No 1 key indicator of good governance, it is very important, particularly for those in authority to note and accept that freedom of expression is a fundamental right and ingredient for the development of a good society.

“While I appreciate that the freedoms must be exercised in line with the rule of law, arresting Nigerians for tweeting on their leaders and those in authority decimates the opportunity for inclusive governance and accountability which are highly needed in a developing country like Nigeria.

“As we are all Nigerians and Nigeria is our only country, we must continue to make efforts to build a better Nation where justice, fairness, equity, tolerance, prosperity, accountable leadership and rule of law shall reign with no Nigerian feeling suppressed or oppressed.

“As leaders, it is important for us to know that there are several consequences of occupying public office.

“For instance, citizens will have their different thoughts on us and we have the right to reply. Arbitrary use of our office or in unrestrained way will do no one any good, including those in authority.

“I therefore appeal to all concerned to please treat the issue most objectively on rule of law, and compassionately release the young man in question.

“God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. – PO”

However, responding to enquires over the detention of the activist, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, provided information on the continued detention of Chude, explaining that the LP campaigner was being detained for cyberstalking.

The police in a statement issued, Wednesday, said Chude was in their custody in Abuja on suspicion of cyberstalking, adding that he is under investigation for the said crime.

“The Nigeria Police hereby confirms that one Mr. Chude Franklin Nnamdi with Twitter handle ‘@chude__’ was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State on the 18th of March, 2023, and he is being investigated by the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre (NPF-NCCC) Abuja, for cyberstalking, pursuant to a complaint received via a petition, about his activities on social media which contravenes the provision of Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and other criminal laws.

“Furthermore, a prima facie case has been established against him while the case file has been forwarded to the Force Legal Department for further action.

“The Nigeria Police Force therefore urges members of the public to familiarize themselves with provisions of the law and be aware of the penalties for violating them most especially cybercrime laws with the new trends in the digital media space,” the statement read.