MY INTERVENTION AS A PANELLIST
I have been given five minutes to share my thoughts on this wonderful paper delivered by the erudite Femi Falana, SAN. But I think five minutes will be too long for me.
But permit me to pay special tribute to the SPIDEL community for your interventions during my ordeal; a political persecution that was contrived by the executive and dispatched expertly by the judiciary.
Special regards to the paper presenter, Femi Falana, SAN; Prof. Chidi Odinkalu; Emeka Obegolu, SAN, a member of my legal team; Kunle Edun, SAN; Sebastian Anyiam, Vice President of the NBA and Head of Human Rights Committee of the Bar; and John Aikpokpo-Martins, for their bold steps during my ordeal.
I also want to pay special tribute to my teacher, who is also here present, Prof. Nnamdi Obiaraeri.
Without prejudice to your description of my person as a victor of the process, for the purpose of what we are doing here today, if you are looking for a victim of the justice gaps in the Press Freedom and Cyber-security Law in Nigeria, then look not beyond this podium. I am a living, breathing example.
We can blame the executive arm and the security agencies for all we care, who often kickstart the process of suppression of the freedom of speech. They may plead ignorance as alibi. But what do we say about the judicial officer who signs remand order against a citizen whose only crime was that he legitimately exercised his right to freedom of speech in calling the executive to order.
What do we say about the Magistrate that refuses to grant bail and remands the defendant in prison custody, and adjourns beyond 14 days in contravention of the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.
What do we say of the member of the higher bench who, after adjourning an unchallenged bail application severally, refuses bail in the pretext that no information has been filed.
The summary of my story will provide some context. I was arrested on 23 September, arraigned on 25 September, refused bail, and remanded in prison custody for 28 days by His worship Obinna Njemanze and was asked to approach the Federal High Court for my bail. I did approach the Federal High Court. After filing for bail in the Federal High Court, the application suffered four adjournments even when it was not opposed, and eventually refused by Hon. Justice Joy Chituru Wigwe-Oreh, in the pretext, that there was no information before the court, even after exhibiting the charge sheet in the bail application. What was more curious was that the court, despite the written address where the bail application was argued, ordered my lawyers to file additional written address on the propriety of the application.
The truth is, the judiciary is the gatekeeper and must keep the security agancies at bay.
To bridge the justice gaps in the Press Freedom and Cyber-Security Law in Nigeria, our judiciary must first banish the ghost of judicial timidity and timorousness and imbibe the spirit of judicial courage and bravery. If this is not done, we will allow the executive arm and the security agencies to continue to shrink the civic space.
Speaking of bridging the justice gaps in the Press Freedom and Cyber-Security Law in Nigeria, I will end with this poser:
Is the Nigerian judiciary willing to bridge the justice gap but not able to? Then, our judiciary is impotent. Is it able but not willing? Then, it is complicit and malevolent. Is it both able and willing? Then where comes the justice gaps?
Thank you, gentlemen.
Chinedu Agu
3 December 2025
Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State.
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