Court Remands Man Over Alleged Defamatory Post on Tony Elumelu’s Wife

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos has remanded Emmanuel Akwuobi in the custody of the Ikoyi Correctional Centre over an alleged online publication that police said was capable of damaging the reputation of Dr Awele Elumelu, the wife of the Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Tony Elumelu.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that Akwuobi be kept behind bars after he was arraigned on a one-count charge before the court by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force, Zone 2 Command, Onikan, Lagos.

The police prosecutor, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Ijie Eliott, alleged that the defendant knowingly transmitted the publication through a computer system or network on August 19, 2026.

Eliott also claimed that the alleged publication was made on X, formerly known as Twitter, using the pseudonym “deriko” on the handles @fimlex and @deriuku, and phone number 08104142790.

The prosecutor further told the court that the defendant allegedly travelled to Kaduna after making the publication, where police subsequently tracked and arrested him.

Among the publications attributed to the defendant were: “I hear say Chike don sleep with another person wife” and “Tony wife, over full gist.”

The police alleged that the publications contained elements calculated to harm the reputation of Elumelu’s wife, thereby committing an offence under Section 24(2)(c)(ii) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.

The prosecution claimed that Akwuobi, on August 19, 2026, “knowingly and intentionally transmit[ted] or caused the transmission of communication through a computer system or network containing elements calculated to harm the reputation” of Elumelu’s wife.

When the charge was read to him, Akwuobi pleaded not guilty.

Following his plea, the prosecutor urged the judge to fix a trial date and remand the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending the determination of the case.

The defence counsel, G.I. Ilegbune, however, asked the court for a short adjournment to enable him to file and move an application for his client’s bail.

After listening to submissions from both parties, Justice Lewis-Allagoa ordered that Akwuobi be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

The judge subsequently adjourned the case until November 9, 2026, for trial.

The charge filed against Akwuobi stated that the alleged offence was committed on an online platform monitored in Lagos, within the Federal High Court’s jurisdiction.

The police accused him of intentionally transmitting or causing the transmission of the communication through a computer system or network containing elements calculated to harm the reputation of Elumelu’s wife.