A 19-year-old blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, has been arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos over allegations of cyberstalking and defamation involving businessman and Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu.
The defendant appeared before Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa on Friday to answer a four-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force, which accused him of using social media to circulate false and damaging claims against the prominent banker and his family.
According to the prosecution, Surpruchi allegedly worked with other individuals who are still at large to publish content claiming that Elumelu had ended his marriage after DNA tests supposedly revealed that none of his seven children were biologically his.
The prosecution maintained that the publication was false and deliberately designed to tarnish the reputation of the UBA chairman.
Representing the police, A.G. Obi of the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Alagbon, Lagos, told the court that the controversial post was published around April 5, 2026, and quickly gained widespread attention across social media platforms.
The prosecutor stated that the publication attracted significant online engagement, generating about 1.9 million views, more than 1,600 reposts, over 6,300 likes and hundreds of saves by users.
According to the prosecution, the alleged publication exposed Elumelu and members of his family to public ridicule, hostility and reputational damage while causing emotional distress and embarrassment.
The police further argued that the defendant’s actions violated provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended, as well as relevant sections of the Criminal Code Act relating to defamatory publications.
After the charges were read in court, Surpruchi pleaded not guilty to all counts.
Following the plea, the prosecution informed the court that it was prepared to proceed with the case.
However, it disclosed that a bail application had only been served earlier in the day and requested time to study the application before filing a response.
The prosecution subsequently asked the court to remand the defendant in a correctional facility pending the hearing and determination of his bail request.
It also sought a date for the commencement of trial proceedings.
Defence counsel, Anslem Etoh, acknowledged the position of the prosecution and appealed to the court for a short adjournment to allow the bail application to be heard.
After listening to submissions from both parties, Justice Lewis-Allagoa adjourned the matter until June 19, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.
The court also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Service pending further proceedings.
According to the charges, the defendant is accused of conspiring with others to use a computer system and social media platforms to disseminate information the prosecution described as false and injurious to the reputation of Tony Elumelu.
The police alleged that the social media account linked to the defendant was used to publish and circulate the disputed claims despite knowing that the information was false.
Investigators further alleged that the publication was intended to cause annoyance, hatred, ill will, intimidation and reputational harm to the businessman and his family.
One of the counts also accused the defendant of knowingly transmitting false information through electronic means with the intention of bullying, threatening or harassing Elumelu, thereby exposing him to public contempt and ridicule.
Another count alleged that the publication constituted a defamatory statement under Nigerian law because it portrayed the businessman and his family in a negative light before members of the public.
The case has attracted considerable attention because of the prominence of the complainant and the growing concerns over the misuse of social media platforms for the spread of unverified information.
With the defendant maintaining his innocence, attention now shifts to the June 19 hearing, where the court would consider the bail application before deciding the next stage of the proceedings.
