Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of self-acclaimed whistleblower, Isaac Tamunobifiri, also known as PIDOM, in Kuje correctional facility.
PIDOM was arraigned on Tuesday, on nine counts brought against him by the Inspector General of Police, bordering on alleged money laundering, cybercrime, and disseminating classified secret documents.
Count one read: “That you Bristol Tamunobifiri ‘M’ 41 years of No. 36 Hardy Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honourable court sometime between 2023 and August 2024, accessed the computer network using your X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%oppresed to mobilise and solicit support from Nigerians to unduly compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to perform or abstain from performing certain acts through a movement you promoted with the hashtag #Endbadgovernanceinnigeria and you thereby commit an offence punishable under section 18(1) of the cybercrime (prohibition and prevention e.t.c) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
Count two rea: “That sometime between June and July 2024, within the jurisdiction of the honourable court, you transmitted an alleged classified document of the Federal Government of Nigeria using X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%opressed wherein you knowingly sent a false message to wit: ‘See the document below wherein Tinubu released the sum of N24,143,494,567.32 to NAHCON Chairman through Shettima’s office. Because Nigerians didn’t react enough, they went back and increased it to a whopping Ninety Billion Naira. ‘Saraka’for the men. Free money to cause the breakdown of law and order and you hereby commit an offence contrary to Section 24(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
In the money laundering allegations brought against him, the police claimed that the funds PIDOM obtained were derived from unlawful activities.
The ninth charge on the court document accused PIDOM of tampering with evidence by destroying his Tecno Phantom X phone and attempting to flush it down the water system of the hotel where he was arrested.
He, however, pleaded not guilty to all the charges levelled against him.
After taking his plea, the defendant’s counsel, Deji Adeyanju, applied for a bail application, which was objected to by the prosecution’s counsel.
After listening to the submissions of the lawyers in the suit, Justice Nwite adjourned to September 23 for ruling on the bail application, while he ordered that he be remanded in Kuje correctional centre.
In a charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/456/2024, PIDOM was accused of mobilising and soliciting support to unduly compel the government to act or abstain from certain acts through the #Endbadgovernance protest, false money-laundering allegations against President Bola Tinubu, and unlawfully obtaining, retaining and disseminating classified secret documents in contravention of the official Secret Act 1962.
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Meanwhile, the police have said a discreet investigation revealed that an investigative journalist, David Hundeyin and one Michael Alade are accomplices of PIDOMNigeria.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, on Tuesday, the Force spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, said PIDOM was arrested following a petition from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Adejobi added that when operatives of the National Cybercrime Centre stormed PIDOM’s hotel, he resisted arrest, locked himself up, destroyed his phone and flushed it down the toilet.
He said, “The operatives of the Nigerian Police National Cybercrime Center have apprehended an anonymous hacker in connection with alleged criminal conspiracy, offences against the Official Secret Act, leakage of classified and restricted documents, acts likely to cause breach of public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion.
“The discreet investigation was initiated to identify those responsible for the leakage, which led to the identification of Bristol Isaac, Michael Temidayo Alade and David Hundeyin who are suspects in connection with the alleged crimes.
“The principal suspect, Bristol Isaac, was apprehended at a hotel in Port Harcourt by National Cybercrime Center detectives.
“In an attempt to resist arrest, the suspect locked himself in the hotel room, smashed his phone, and flushed it down the toilet to destroy evidence. He also refused to surrender his phone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it, thereby concealing information. Subsequent investigations after his arrest revealed several suspicious activities between the principal suspect and his accomplices.”
Adejobi also said the suspect illegally accessed police-restricted document data.
He said, “Investigations also revealed that the suspect was responsible for leaking a sensitive restricted document generated from the Office of the President to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“The suspect had also illegally accessed police-restricted document data and posted directives from the Office of the Inspector General of Police and many other restricted documents to jeopardise the security network in Nigeria.
“The complaints filed by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation alleged that an anonymous blogger using the Twitter handle at PIDOM Nigeria published and distributed a restricted document on a sensitive matter of national security.”
The police spokesman said PIDOM’s arrest was to protect national security and maintain public order.
He said, “So the Nigerian Police National Cybercrime Center has done well in this regard to identify this man and subsequently apprehended him to protect national security, maintain public order, and identify and apprehend those engaged in criminal activities threatening the stability of our nation.”
When asked to clarify if the police were on the trail of Hundeyin and Alade, Adejobi said, “I’m sure they are working assiduously to see how they can get them.
“Perhaps they must have sent an invitation letter to them. Or they must have contacted them one way or the other. I don’t know the plan the team has.
“But I’m sure since they have fingered them, they want to interrogate them for further action. The police will do the needful to make sure everyone involved in such crimes will be brought to book after thorough interrogation and investigation.”
The PUNCH reports that Hundeyin raised the alarm on X over the disappearance of PIDOM.
He shared screenshots of messages from an unidentified associate of PIDOM who informed him about PIDOM’s plight.