A retired Department of State Services (DSS) officer, Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, has been thrown into Kuje Custodial Centre over alleged links to the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
The former secret police operative was yesterday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a four-count terrorism-related charge, with the Federal Government accusing him of allegedly supporting and advancing the cause of IPOB.
Ezeakolam, who appeared before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The development has raised eyebrows, coming against the backdrop of his former position as an officer of the nation’s intelligence agency.
The Federal Government took over the prosecution, with the charges filed by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo.
According to the prosecution, Ezeakolam allegedly joined IPOB and rendered support and material assistance to the group, despite allegedly knowing that the organisation had been proscribed.
The allegations were said to be contrary to and punishable under the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
In another dramatic twist, the prosecution accused the retired DSS officer of allegedly using social media to circulate messages designed to persuade unsuspecting members of the public to support IPOB.
He was further accused of posting messages aimed at promoting and advancing the cause of the proscribed organisation.
But Ezeakolam rejected the allegations in court, entering a plea of not guilty when the charges were read to him.
Following his plea, DSS counsel, Memunat Oladunjoye, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of trial.
Defence counsel, Godfirst Maduka, however, sought time to file a bail application for his client.
Justice Umar told the defence that the bail application could be filed at any time.
The judge subsequently fixed October 29 for the commencement of the trial and ordered that Ezeakolam be remanded in Kuje Custodial Centre pending his bail application.
The former DSS operative will therefore remain behind bars as he awaits the next legal battle over his alleged IPOB connection.
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