By Alex Enumah in Abuja
The Federal Government has formally charged the Incorporated Trustee of Order Paper, alongside several individuals, for allegedly publishing false information claiming that the Department of State Services (DSS) laid siege to the National Assembly with the intention of removing Senate President Godswill Akpabio from office.
The defendants are facing charges under Section 24(1)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015 (as amended in 2024). The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/555/2024, names nine defendants, including Oke Epia, founder and publisher of Order Paper, and other key staff members such as Tony Okeke Ofodile, Edna Bill Ulaeto, and Elizabeth Atime, the National Assembly lead reporter who authored the report in question.
According to the charges filed by the Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, A. A. Yusuf, the defendants are accused of knowingly publishing false information on October 16, 2024, alleging that the DSS had taken action to impeach Akpabio. The Federal Government asserts that this publication was made with the knowledge that the information was untrue, thus violating the Cybercrimes Act.
The government also accused the defendants of publishing defamatory statements intended to harm the reputations of the DSS and the Senate President. This is alleged to have been done intentionally, with the publication accessible to the public, further violating Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes Act.
In addition to the cybercrime charges, the defendants are accused of publishing defamatory material under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act, specifically targeting the DSS and Senator Godswill Akpabio, thereby bringing them into public ridicule and damaging their reputations.
The court is yet to announce a date for the arraignment of the defendants.
