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Emeka Offor Trends Over Arrest Of Popular Twitter Influencer, Chude
Controversial businessman, Emeka Offor, trended on micro-blogging platform Twitter on Thursday, after he arrested popular OBIDIENT influencer, Nnamdi Chude, over alleged defamation.
There were reports that Interpol arrested Chude on Wednesday in Abuja as part of the defamation suit filed by Emeka Offor which elicited reactions from Netizens.
Chude reported to the Abuja police headquarters, where he was reportedly held around noon. He was informed that Emeka Offor had chosen to file a defamation lawsuit and that he would be held in detention until the trial.
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The police have prepared charges, according to Francis Obuzor, the Abuja-based lawyer representing Chude in the case. His client could be charged on Thursday morning before a magistrate in the nation’s capital.
“He is not in our custody, this matter could be with the cybercrime unit but not our department at Interpol,” said Garba Umar, an assistant inspector-general of police, on Wednesday afternoon. “We have nothing to do with the case.”
The arrest of the influencer happened exactly one month after he was apprehended in Anambra and brought to Abuja by police officials with the cybercrime section. The incident, according to the police, was connected to a tweet that Mr. Chude reportedly posted that painted Mr. Offor in a derogatory manner.
According to the tweet, Offor and Bola Tinubu were planning to pressure Peter Obi into recognizing the disputed February 25 presidential election. Chude was released from detention after being forced to record a video retracting and apologizing for the offending tweet, despite Offor’s vehement denial of the accusation.
After Chude apologized and was let go on March 24, there were hints that the complainant would no longer pursue the case.
The billionaire oil trader’s decision to bring further accusations, which the police are now preparing to pursue under criminal defamation laws, is still a mystery.
