Court Remands Man Over Alleged Defamation of Kogi Governor Ododo
A middle-aged man identified as Abdulhamid Deflowerboy has been remanded in custody over allegations of defaming Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Usman Ododo.
Deflowerboy is reportedly behind certain online publications deemed defamatory toward the governor. Following a police invitation for questioning, he was arraigned and subsequently remanded by a competent court of jurisdiction.
Reacting to the incident, the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, clarified that the state government is handling the matter strictly within the bounds of the law.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the state government followed due legal process by petitioning the Commissioner of Police to investigate the matter and invite the individual in question to prove his allegations,” he said.
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“Upon invitation, Abdulhamid (Deflowerboy) voluntarily appeared before law enforcement agents and confessed to being the author of the defamatory publication.
He was thereafter charged to court and remanded by a competent court of jurisdiction.
Claims that he is being detained without trial are false, baseless and intended to mislead the public.
Defamation is a criminal offence in Nigeria; not an expression of free speech. It has the potential to destroy reputations built over decades and plunge innocent individuals into disrepute.
Sadly, Abdulhamid allowed himself to be used by disgruntled political elements who remain bitter over Governor Ododo’s bold decision to prioritise the welfare of the people above the personal interests of a few.
These individuals, who once benefited from politics of patronage, now struggle to accept the new era of governance where public funds are used for public good.
This administration, under His Excellency, Alhaji Ahmed Usman Ododo, has earned the trust of the people through massive investments in road construction, school and hospital infrastructure, erosion control, agriculture, power supply, bursaries and free education as well as the welfare of the civil servants and pensioners.”
The development has sparked online conversations on the boundaries between free speech and criminal defamation in Nigeria’s political landscape.
