A Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday ordered the remand of Doris Ogala, the African Action Congress (AAC) governorship candidate in Abia State, at Kirikiri Correctional Centre over allegations of cyberstalking, cyberbullying and attempted extortion involving Pastor Chris Okafor.
Justice Akintayo Aluko made the order after Ogala pleaded not guilty to three charges filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation. The court adjourned the case until October 30 for the hearing of her bail application.
Prosecution counsel Tolulope Mokolu alleged that between September 2024 and March 2026, Ogala published nude and intimate photographs of Okafor on her social media accounts without his consent. The publications were capable of causing emotional distress, embarrassment and reputational damage, he said.
Mokolu further accused her of circulating videos, recordings and electronic messages containing information she knew to be false, with the intention of threatening, intimidating, bullying and harassing the cleric. He also alleged that she threatened to release additional intimate material unless the pastor compensated her or bought her a house.
The alleged actions contravened Sections 24(1)(a), 24(2)(a) and 24(2)(c) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Amendment Act, 2024, the prosecution said.
Ogala denied the charges. Her lawyer, N. C. Atulomah, opposed the remand request and asked the court to grant her bail, noting that she was the AAC governorship candidate in Abia State and would attend subsequent proceedings.
The prosecution opposed immediate bail, saying it had only received the application on Wednesday and needed time to respond. Justice Aluko held that the defence had not provided sufficient grounds for her immediate release but ordered an accelerated hearing of the bail application.
2027 AAC Presidential Candidate Reacts
AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore criticised the remand in a Facebook post, accusing the police of weaponising the Cybercrimes Act.
“Once again, the Nigeria Police Force has deepened its weaponization of the Cybercrimes Act! What kind of society are we becoming? How could anyone be arraigned simply over allegations of having an affair with a pastor? And how could the police actually take such a matter before a Federal High Court judge?” Sowore wrote.
He added: “The Nigeria Police Force has no business turning private relationships into criminal prosecutions or deploying the Cybercrimes Act as a weapon of intimidation.”
Sowore said Ogala was entitled to constitutional protection, due process and a fair hearing, and urged the police and judiciary to stop criminalising private disputes.
