Human rights lawyer and former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri branch, Chinedu Agu, was arraigned Thursday before a Magistrate’s Court in Owerri over a series of Facebook posts deemed critical of Governor Hope Uzodinma and the Nigeria Police Force.
The Imo State Police Command brought four charges against Agu, including criminal defamation, incitement, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace. The case, filed before Chief Magistrate Obinna Njemanze, stems from Facebook posts made by Agu on August 30 and 31, which the police allege were intended to incite unrest and tarnish the image of government institutions.
Agu, however, pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Posts That Sparked the Charges
The charge sheet, signed by Barrister F.O. Itua of the police Legal/Prosecution Unit, highlights several statements posted by Agu. Among them:
• “The courts are closed and justice has been kidnapped not by bandits in the bush, but by bandit in government.”
• “This is not government, this is tyranny trapped in sinking bureaucracy.”
• “Until the leadership changes how it sees governance, nothing will change in this abandoned property called Imo State.”
• “Enugu is working, Imo is rotting.”
• “The Tiger Base Unit of the Nigeria Police Force are specialists in the act of unchecked, barbaric, brutish, savagery and callous human rights abuse…”
Police allege Agu knowingly posted these remarks, which they claim were false, to incite public discontent and provoke civil disorder.
The prosecution urged the court to remand Agu in prison custody pending trial.
In a dramatic courtroom scene, Agu was represented by a formidable team of over 30 lawyers, led by former Imo State Attorney-General Miletus Onukoagu Nlemadim. The legal team is backed by the Nigerian Bar Association, Owerri Branch, which has vowed to monitor the trial closely and defend Agu’s rights.
NBA Chairman Chief Chris Ihentuge said the association will take “all lawful steps” to ensure justice is not compromised.
“This is not just a legal matter — it’s a constitutional one,” said NBA Secretary Daniel O. Odiba. “Criticism of government is not a crime. Democracy dies where dissent is crushed.”
Agu’s arrest and arraignment have sparked widespread backlash from human rights advocates and civil society groups. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) described the charges as a “gross abuse of state power.”
“This is a witch-hunt, plain and simple,” said RULAAC Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma. “Criticism is not a crime. If the government can’t take the heat, it should get out of the kitchen!”
RULAAC also slammed the Imo State Ministry of Information for initiating the police petition that led to Agu’s arrest, accusing the government of weaponising public institutions to suppress dissent.
“The world is watching,” the group warned. “Nigeria cannot afford a return to the dark days of fear and impunity.”
Speaking shortly after his invitation by police earlier this month, Agu denounced the charges as politically motivated.
“We’ve taken a thousand steps backward into an era of repression,” he said. “Voices of truth are being gagged, critics are being hunted — but I will not be silenced. The law is on the side of truth.”
He maintained that he stands by his remarks and insists his Facebook posts fall under constitutionally protected free speech.
The arraignment comes amid growing concerns over shrinking civic space and press freedom in Imo State, where critics accuse the Uzodinma administration of deploying strong-arm tactics to stifle opposition and control public discourse.
Agu, a vocal critic of the state government’s handling of justice and security, has frequently clashed with authorities over issues of governance and police brutality.
The case has now become a flashpoint in the broader conversation about free speech, digital rights, and the criminalisation of dissent in Nigeria — especially under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, which legal experts say is increasingly being used to target government critics.
As the case unfolds, legal watchers say it may set a precedent for how far the Nigerian state can go in policing online speech and political criticism.
What’s Next?
The court is expected to decide on the remand application in the coming days, even as public interest in the case continues to grow.
Meanwhile, Agu’s legal team has vowed to challenge the charges vigorously and, if necessary, escalate the matter to higher courts — or even international legal forums — to protect what they describe as fundamental human rights under threat.
