The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, at the Kuje Correctional Centre over allegations of supporting the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Ezeakolam was arraigned on Thursday before Justice Muhammed Umar on a four-count charge bordering on alleged membership of the outlawed group, disseminating materials in support of the organisation, and using social media platforms to encourage public support for IPOB.
According to the Department of State Services, the alleged offences contravene provisions of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022, as well as the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.
When the charges were read in court, the retired DSS officer pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
Following his plea, the prosecution asked the court to fix a date for trial and requested that the defendant be remanded in custody pending the hearing of the case.
Justice Umar granted the request, adjourning the matter until October 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial and ordering that Ezeakolam be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
According to the charge, the DSS alleged that between 2025 and 2026, in Abuja and Abia State, the defendant directly and indirectly supported IPOB by providing moral assistance and disseminating information in favour of the proscribed organisation through the internet and his social media platforms.
The prosecution argued that the alleged conduct violated Section 13 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
In the second count, the DSS accused Ezeakolam of becoming a member of IPOB, an organisation proscribed by the Federal Government.
The alleged offence is said to be contrary to and punishable under Section 25 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.
The prosecution further alleged that the retired officer knowingly aided and abetted the activities of IPOB by publishing social media posts designed to persuade members of the public to support the group, an allegation it said contravenes Section 26 of the same Act.
In the fourth count, Ezeakolam was accused of posting and making accessible online messages that allegedly promoted the cause of IPOB, an offence the prosecution said is punishable under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.
With the defendant maintaining his innocence, the court fixed October 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial.
Until then, Justice Umar ordered that the retired DSS officer remain in custody at the Kuje Correctional Centre.
IPOB was proscribed by the Federal Government and designated a terrorist organisation in 2017. The group has consistently rejected that designation and has continued to challenge it through legal proceedings and public advocacy.
The allegations against Ezeakolam remain before the court, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in accordance with the law.
