Court Grants N3m Bail To Woman Accused Of Cyberstalking Okoya’s Wife

Justice Deinde Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday granted N3 million bail to a 32-year-old woman, Ifeoma Nwafor, who was arraigned before the court over the alleged cyberstalking of Mrs Folashade Okoya, wife of billionaire industrialist Chief Razaq Okoya.

Justice Dipeolu granted Nwafor bail in the sum of N3 million with two sureties in like sum, but ordered her to be remanded at the Kirikiri Centre of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) until she fulfils the bail conditions.

The defendant was docked before the court on a three-count charge of conspiring with others still at large and using Instagram to publish materials the prosecution described as offensive, false, malicious and calculated to cause annoyance, fear, intimidation and anxiety to Okoya’s wife.

The police filed the charge, marked FHC/LAG/CR/819/2026, through the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Ikoyi, Lagos.

The defendant, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.

After the plea, the police prosecutor, Stanley Nwafoaku, urged the court to remand her in custody and adjourn the case for trial.

But the defence counsel, O. J. Aduwa, applied for her release on bail under Sections 35(4), 36(1) and 36(5) of the Constitution.

Aduwa urged the court to grant bail on liberal terms and assured it that Nwafor would be available throughout the trial.

The prosecution did not oppose the bail application, citing the nature of the alleged offences.

In his ruling, Justice Dipeolu granted Nwafor bail in the sum of N3 million, with two sureties in like sum.

The judge ordered that the sureties reside within the court’s jurisdiction and that one be a blood relation of the defendant.

The court also directed that the sureties provide evidence of three years’ tax payment, their National Identification Numbers (NINs) and photographs, and depose to affidavits of compliance.

Justice Dipeolu further ordered Nwafor to depose to an affidavit undertaking to attend trial.

The judge adjourned the case until 8 November 2026, for trial and ordered that Nwafor remain in NCoS custody until she fulfils the bail conditions.

In the first count, the police alleged that Nwafor and others, still at large, conspired to commit a felony sometime in June 2026 at Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos.

The prosecution alleged that the conspiracy was intended to cause “annoyance, injury, fear, intimidation, enmity and/or needless anxiety” to Okoya’s wife.

It further alleged that Nwafor took part in publishing offensive, false, and malicious materials on Instagram, calculated to cause annoyance, fear, intimidation, and anxiety, through the handles @cutie_juis and @truestorieswithifeomafa.

The prosecution also alleged that pictures of Okoya’s wife and materials that it described as defamatory were published online.

The alleged offence in the first count was said to contravene Section 516 of the Criminal Law of the Federation.

In the second count, the prosecution alleged that Nwafor used the Instagram handle @truestorieswithifeomafans to publish a statement about Okoya’s wife that was derogatory and calculated to invite “mockery, ridicule, gossip, suspicion and scandal”.

The alleged offence was brought under Section 24(2)(a) and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

In the third count, the police alleged that Nwafor used an online link to publish pictures of Okoya’s wife alongside a statement described as derogatory and calculated to expose her to mockery, ridicule, suspicion and scandal.

The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 24(1)(a) and (b) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

Nwafor, a graduate of Oduduwa University, Ipetumodu, Osun State, pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

She told the court she was from Orumba North Local Government Area, Anambra State, but was born in Lagos.

She also provided details of her education, including attending Christian Council of Nigeria Primary School and Roxton International School before proceeding to Oduduwa University. The court adjourned the case until 8 November for trial.