According to Peoples Gazette, the police in Abuja on Wednesday detained a vocal Labour Party supporter as part of a defamation lawsuit that has been brewing since late February.
Nnamdi Chude, who is well-known for his steadfast support of Labor party on the microblogging platform Twitter, was detained after complying with a police invitation in connection with an alleged defamation claim made by controversial businessman Emeka Offor.
According to reports Mr. Chude’s arrest at around noon after he reported to the police headquarters in Abuja from sources familiar with the development.
We were informed that Mr. Offor had chosen to file a defamation lawsuit and that he would be held in custody until his trial.
Francis Obuzor, an Abuja-based attorney representing Mr Chude on the matter, said the police have prepared charges — and his client may be arraigned on Thursday morning before a magistrate in the nation’s capital.
While The Gazette confirmed that Mr Chude was being held at a facility used by the Interpol in Nigeria, the body denied involvement in the arrest.
“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.”
Today’s detention came weeks exactly one month after Mr Chude was arrested in Anambra and transported to Abuja by officers attached to the police cybercrime unit.
The police later said the matter was linked to a tweet by Mr Chude that allegedly cast Mr Offor in an odious light.
The tweet said Mr Offor was plotting with Bola Tinubu to compel Peter Obi to accept the disputed presidential election of February 25.
Mr Offor strongly denied the allegation, but Mr Chude was released from custody after being made to record a video retracting and apologising for the offensive tweet.
Following Mr Chude’s apology and release from custody on March 24, there were indications that the matter would no longer be pursued by Mr Offor.
It remained unclear why the billionaire oil trader decided to file fresh charges, which the police are moving to prosecute under criminal defamation statutes.
Mr Offor declined to comment on his lawsuit and police’s intervention when reached by The Gazette on Wednesday afternoon.
Nnamdi Chude was arrested this afternoon.
— Mo-Mo (@Morris_Monye) April 19, 2023
Will give more details soon.
No Matter How Many Times You Rearrest Chude
— Pearls (@MissPearls) April 19, 2023
Sue Him A Million Times
You Can Never Silence Him
You Can Never Silence This Generation of Youths
We Are a Whole New Different Breed
Emeka Offor Should Free Chude
Free Chude NOW!!!!
Breaking
— CBN Gov Akinsola Akin (@cbngov_akin1) April 19, 2023
Chude arrested again for defamation...
You guys are meat
So na freedom of speech is the Fake news where he confirmed One Igbo Man was given money to talk to Obi?
The Igbo man is not taking it as a Joke ..no be everybody can take jokes
Chioma Gistlover Chude… pic.twitter.com/RMsAbYRlXh
| Posted: at | |
TRENDING GISTS 
Wizkid and Ayra Starr Face Backlash Over “Gimme Dat” Lyrics Allegedly Insensitive to Amadou Diallo’s Legacy
EFCC To Investigate Alleged ₦528bn Misappropriation By Ex-Zamfara Governor, Matawalle
2025 U-20 AFCON: Check Out All 8 Teams That Qualified For Quarter-Finals