Department Of State Services Files Charges Against Man Who Called For Coup

The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed charges against a 27-year-old man, Innocent Onukwume, for, among others, allegedly advocating for a military coup in the country.

In the charges filed before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the DSS said Onukwume of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo, Rivers State, allegedly committed the offence in October 2025.

The DSS stated that by his conduct, Onukwume committed offences contrary to and punishable under Sections 46 A (1) and 59 (1) of the Criminal Code Act.

Some of the counts read, “That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27 years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, sometimes in October, 2025 having the intent to cause fear and alarm to the public or to disturbing the public peace, posted a message calling for a coup in Nigeria on your social media account to wit: your verified X account (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: “A coup in Nigeria is needed. Dispose of APC, suspend the Nigerian government and join the AES. That is all we need now.’

“You thereby committed an offence punishable under section 59 (1) of the Criminal Code Act, Cap 77, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

“That you, Innocent Chukwuemeka Onukwume, male, 27 years old of Umusayo Layout, Oyigbo LGA of Rivers State, on or about 15th day of October, 2025 and within the jurisdiction of this honorable court, with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, enmity, criminal intimidation, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety, against the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, knowingly and intentionally posted a message on the social media via your verified account, to wit: your verified X account (@theagroman), by which you published the following words: ‘It will happen eventually, Nigerian. The military needs your support now! Only they can save this country.
The bastard in Aso Rock has basically sold this country to the West, and they run our intelligence apparatus; only the military can reset this country.’

“You thereby committed an offence Contrary to Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2024 (As Amended).”

The United Nations has warned that acute food insecurity is worsening in Nigeria and 15 other global hunger hotspots, putting millions at risk of famine between November 2025 and May 2026.

The joint report ‘Hunger Hotspots: FAO/WFP Early Warnings on Acute Food Insecurity’ was by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme.

While the UN ldescribed Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Myanmar, Nigeria, Somalia, and Syria, as “very high concern” zones, Haiti, Mali, Palestine, South Sudan, Sudan, and Yemen, it said, are facing an imminent risk of catastrophic hunger, classified under the highest phase (IPC/CH Phase 5).

According to the report, conflict, economic shocks, and extreme weather events remain the major drivers of hunger, while shrinking humanitarian funding threatens to push several countries toward catastrophic levels of food insecurity.

Four others, Burkina Faso, Chad, Kenya, and the Rohingya refugee situation in Bangladesh, were also flagged as high-risk areas requiring urgent attention.

The report highlighted that only $10.5 billion of the $29 billion required for emergency food assistance had been received as of October 2025, resulting in deep ration cuts and the suspension of key nutrition and school feeding programmes.

The FAO warned that without immediate funding, crucial agricultural support, including seeds, livestock care, and early farming interventions, will not reach communities in time for the next planting season.

FAO Director-General QU Dongyu called for global action to shift from crisis response to prevention.

“We must move from reacting to crises to preventing them. Investing in livelihoods, resilience, and social protection before hunger peaks will save lives and resources. Famine prevention is not just a moral duty, it is a smart investment in long-term peace and stability,” he said.

WFP Executive Director Cindy McCain warned that millions face starvation if the world fails to act.

“Mothers are skipping meals so their children can eat. Families are exhausting what little they have left as they struggle to make ends meet. We urgently need new funding and unimpeded access. A failure to act now will drive further instability, migration, and conflict,” she said.

Both agencies called for renewed global attention, sustained investments in resilience, and unrestricted humanitarian access to conflict-affected areas.

They emphasised that famine is predictable and preventable, but only with strong political will, adequate funding, and collective action.

The bi-annual Hunger Hotspots report is developed under the Global Network Against Food Crises, with financial support from the European Union, to guide early warning and coordinated response to food emergencies.