A 19-year-old blogger, Nwanorue John Surpruchi, has been remanded in the custody of the Nigeria Correctional Services following his arraignment before the Federal High Court in Lagos on four counts of conspiracy, cyberstalking, bullying and defamation against Tony Elumelu, the chairman and chief executive officer of United Bank for Africa.
Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa ordered the remand after Surpruchi pleaded not guilty to all charges on Friday. The judge scheduled the hearing of the defendant’s bail application for 19 June 2026.
According to the prosecution, Surpruchi and others still at large allegedly conspired on 5 April 2026 to use a computer system and social media network to disseminate false and damaging information against Elumelu. The defendant is accused of using an X account with the handle @PROBLElEMCHIMKYI, allegedly registered in his name, to publish a post claiming that Elumelu had divorced his wife following DNA tests allegedly showing that none of his seven children were biologically his.
Prosecutor A.G. Obi, from the Directorate of Legal Services at the Force Criminal Investigation Department, told the court that the post reached approximately 1.9 million users. The post was reposted 1,600 times, liked over 6,300 times and saved by 601 users. Obi said the prosecution had only received the defendant’s bail application on the morning of the arraignment and requested time to file a response.
The charges are brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 and Sections 373 and 375 of the Criminal Code. The first count alleges conspiracy to commit cyberstalking by agreeing to disseminate false information against the UBA chief executive officer. The second count alleges the defendant knowingly and intentionally sent a false, grossly offensive and menacing message through the X account with intent to cause annoyance, inconvenience, insult, hatred, ill will and criminal intimidation against Elumelu and his family.
Counsel to the defendant, Anslem Etoh, appealed to the court for a short adjournment to allow for the bail application hearing. The trial judge granted the request and fixed 19 June for the bail hearing.
United Bank for Africa said earlier in May that three persons had been arrested over social media posts making the same allegations about Elumelu. The bank named the suspects as Kingsley Akunemeihe, also known as @Directorkem, Chigozie Ihebom and John Nwanorue, also known as @problemchimky.
UBA described the claim as false and defamatory, warned that legal action would be taken against individuals and platforms involved in publishing or sharing the allegation, and said investigations were ongoing.
