The police have arraigned a 19-year-old blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, at the Federal High Court in Lagos over alleged defamation of the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa, 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 the court 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 prosecutor also said that the defendant published the defamatory publication on or about April 5, 2026, and the same was widely shared across social media platforms.
According to the prosecution, 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.
The prosecutor said the defendant’s actions caused Elumelu and his family “annoyance, hatred, ill will, and intimidation” and reputational damage while also exposing them to ridicule.
When the charge was read to the defendant, he pleaded not guilty.
Following his plea, the prosecutor informed the court of its readiness to proceed with the matter. She 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. She asked the court to order the remand of the defendant in the custody of the Nigerian Correctional Centre pending the hearing of the bail application.
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 in part that he “knowingly and intentionally sent and caused to be sent through a computer system via a Twitter account … 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.”
