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The Digest:

The Imo State Police Command has arrested and arraigned lawyer Chinedu Agu on charges of cyberstalking, defamation, and incitement, following his social media posts critical of Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration. Agu was taken into custody by the IGP’s X-Squad Unit and brought before a magistrate’s court in Owerri, in a case that has raised concerns about freedom of expression and the use of legal instruments to silence dissent.

Key Points:
  • Lawyer Chinedu Agu was arrested on Tuesday and arraigned on Wednesday in Owerri.
  • Police allege his posts accused “bandits in government” of kidnapping justice.
  • The arrest followed a petition from the Imo State Ministry of Information.
  • Agu had previously been invited by the police over articles critical of the state judiciary.
  • He maintains his writings highlighted factual governance failures in Imo.
  • DSP Henry Okoye stated the arraignment respected Agu’s fundamental rights.
  • The case has drawn attention from human rights advocates and legal professionals.
The arrest underscores growing tensions between state authorities and civic critics, where legal frameworks are increasingly deployed to challenge public commentary on governance.

Sources: FIJ, Police Statement