The police have arraigned a 19-year-old blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, at the Federal High Court, Lagos, over alleged defamation of the Chairman & Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu.
Surpruchi was arraigned before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on a four-count charge of alleged cyberstalking, bullying and defaming the UBA CEO.
When the matter came up on Friday, the prosecutor, A.G. Obi from the Directorate of Legal Services, Force CID, Alagbon, Lagos, told Justice Lewis-Allagoa that the defendant, alongside others still at large, claimed in a defamatory publication that Elumelu had divorced his wife after discovering through DNA tests that none of his seven children belonged to him.
The prosecution also said that the defendant published the defamatory publication on or about April 5, 2026, and the same was widely disseminated across social media platforms.
The prosecutor disclosed that the post generated massive online engagement, attracting approximately 1.9 million views, over 1,600 reposts, more than 6,300 likes, and hundreds of saves by users.
According to him, the defendant’s actions caused Elumelu and his family annoyance, hatred, ill will, and intimidation and reputational damage from the public while also exposing them to ridicule.
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The prosecutor further submitted that the illegal actions of the defendants contravened Sections 27(1)(b), 24(1)(b) and 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended) and Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
He urged the court to order that the charge be read so that the defendant could take his plea.
When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty. Following his plea, the prosecution informed the court of its readiness to proceed with the matter.
The prosecutor also mentioned that she had received a motion for bail early that morning and would need time to study the motion and file an appropriate response. Based on this, she asked the court to order the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of the bail application. She also asked the court to set a trial date.
In his submission, the defendant’s counsel, Anslem Etoh, confirmed the prosecutor’s position but pleaded for a short adjournment for the hearing of the bail application.
After listening to both parties, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the matter till June 19, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
The judge further ordered the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the hearing and determination of the bail application.
The charge against the defendant reads:
That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did conspire amongst yourselves to commit a felony, to wit, cyberstalking, by agreeing to use a computer system and network to disseminate false and injurious information against the Executive Officer (CEO) of United Bank for Africa, Mr Tony Elumelu, and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
COUNT 2
That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, knowingly and intentionally sent and caused to be sent through a computer system via a Twitter account (x) known as ‘@PROBLElEMCHIMKYI’ (registered with your name) to John Surpruchi Nwanorue (phone number 07049845280 ) a message which you knew to be false and grossly offensive and menacing in character, to wit: that the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of UBA Mr Tony Elumelu, had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him, with Intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, insult, hatred and ill will and criminal intimidation to him and his family. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 (1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
COUNT 3
That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchl, and others now at large, on or about the 5th day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honorable Court, did knowingly send and cause to be sent through a COMPUTER SYSTEM and network, (registered with your name, John Surpruchi Nwanorue, and phone number 07049845280), to wit: that Mr Tony Elumelu had divorced his wife following a DNA discovery that none of his seven children belong to him, which information you knew to be false and which was widely disseminated to the public, having been viewed by approximately 1.9 million persons, reposted about 1,600 times, received about 6,300 likes and saved by about 601 users, with intent to bully, threaten or harass the person of Tony Elumelu, thereby causing injury to his reputation and exposing him to public ridicule. You thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).
COUNT 4
That you, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, and others now at large, on or about the 5th
day of April, 2026, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did publish a defamatory matter concerning Mr. Tony Elumelu and his family via a Twitter platform, which publication you knew to be false and which exposed him to hatred, ridicule and contempt in the eyes of right-thinking members of the society, and you thereby committed an offence contrary to Sections 373 and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act CAP C38, Laws of the Federation, 2004.
