Court remands activist charged for ‘cursing’ Seyi Tinubu, Egbetokun in Facebook video

The federal high court in Abuja has remanded Olamide Thomas, an activist, charged for her social media comments against Seyi Tinubu, son of President Bola Tinubu.

On Friday, Emeka Nwite, the presiding judge, rejected the oral bail application filed by the counsel to Thomas.

Nwite directed the defence counsel to file a formal bail application.

The activist was arraigned on a three-count charge bordering on cyberbullying.

She pleaded not guilty to the charges.

THE CHARGE

The police accused Thomas of sharing a video on social media in which she stated that “Mr Seyi Tinubu will die this year”.

“That you OLAMIDE ABIODUN THOMAS ‘F’, sometime in 2024, in the Federal Republic of Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly and intentionally transmit or cause the transmission of communication in the form of video recording through computer system or network on your Social media platforms wherein you made remarks in Yoruba language stating that Mr. Seyi Tinubu will die this year, and misfortune and calamity has befallen the Tinubu family, with intent to bully, threaten, harass the person of Mr. Seyi Tinubu, where such communication places the said Mr. Seyi Tinubu in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and you thereby commit an offence contrary to and punishable under section 24 (2) (a) Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024,” the first count reads.

In the second count, the police accused Thomas of threatening and bullying Kayode Egbetokun, the inspector-general of police (IGP), in the said video.

In the third count, the police accused the activist of saying that the children of Muyiwa Adejobi, the force spokesperson, would die before his eyes.

The trial judge adjourned the case to December 30 for trial.

THE ARREST

On December 13, the activist, who is also a nurse, was arrested in Lagos over allegations of cyberbullying.

She was accused of making insulting words against Tinubu’s son, Egbetokun, and Adejobi in a Facebook video recorded after she was arrested by the police on October 20, 2024.

The activist was among the protesters arrested by the police during the rally to commemorate the fourth anniversary of #EndSARS at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos.

After her arrest in Lagos, she was taken to Abuja.