A FEDERAL High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the remand of a legal practitioner, Ahmed Abdulrahman, and four others in police custody over allegations of cyber-bullying, blackmail, and attempted extortion of a serving senator.
News Point Nigeria reports that Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia issued the remand order on Thursday after the defendants were arraigned on an 11-count criminal charge filed by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The other defendants are Daure David, Ishaq Abubakar Muhammed, Abdulrashid Abdullahi Musa, and Nasiru Usman Abubakar.
According to the prosecution, the five men allegedly engaged in a coordinated online attack against Senator Shehu Buba Umar, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence. They were accused of publishing defamatory content, cyberstalking the lawmaker, and attempting to extort money from him.
The defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges, prompting prosecuting counsel Victor Okoye to request that they be remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre pending the commencement of trial.
However, lawyers to the defendants, led by Afeez Matanmi, urged the court to grant bail, particularly to the first defendant, Abdulrahman, whom he described as a legal practitioner with no intention to abscond or interfere with investigations.
He noted that the police had previously granted Abdulrahman administrative bail, which he did not violate.
Opposing the application, Okoye argued that the defendants continued their cyber attacks even after initial bail was granted.
He told the court: “The first defendant featured prominently in five of the counts and continued to publish malicious content after being admitted to bail. His profession does not give him immunity from accountability.”
He further insisted that no law provides special treatment for legal practitioners involved in criminal allegations.
After listening to both parties, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia ordered that the defendants remain in the custody of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Area 10, Abuja, until November 10.
She directed Abdulrahman’s counsel to file a further affidavit addressing the prosecution’s objections before the next adjourned date, when the court will rule on the bail application.
The matter was adjourned to November 10, 2025 for continuation.
In Count One, the defendants were alleged to have conspired in 2025 to commit cyberstalking against the senator, an offence contrary to Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act (as amended).
In Count Three, Abdulrahman was accused of circulating a video on TikTok (“Kibanna Channel”) and YouTube in which he allegedly: falsely linked Senator Umar to the sponsorship of banditry, with the intent to incite public disorder and place the senator in fear of death.
Other charges include attempts by one of the defendants, Daure David, to fraudulently obtain ₦5 million from the senator under the pretext of stopping a planned protest against him.