The Federal High Court in Abuja, Nigeria, has granted bail to Olamide Thomas, who is facing allegations of threatening Seyi Tinubu, the son of President Bola Tinubu, and Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun.
Justice Emeka Nwite ruled on Monday, January 6, 2024, that Thomas be admitted to a bail bond of ₦10 million with one surety in the same amount. The surety must reside within the court’s jurisdiction, provide a three-year tax clearance certificate, and depose to an affidavit of means. Both the defendant and the surety are also required to submit recent passport photographs to the court registry.
Justice Nwite emphasized that the prosecution had not provided concrete evidence suggesting the defendant would abscond or interfere with the trial. He remarked, “Where the accused person would not jump bail or interfere with the trial, it is in the interest of justice for the court to grant the bail request.”
The trial has been adjourned to February 18, 2025.
Thomas was arraigned on December 20, 2024, on a three-count charge related to threatening and harassing Seyi Tinubu, IGP Egbetokun, and Police Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi through a viral social media post.
The charges, brought under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, allege that:
1. Thomas made statements in a video declaring that Seyi Tinubu would die and that calamity had befallen the Tinubu family, intending to bully and harass him.
2. She allegedly made threatening remarks against IGP Egbetokun in the same video, placing him in fear of death or bodily harm.
3. Thomas further stated that Adejobi would lose all his children in a single day, an accusation intended to harass and intimidate him.
These actions, the prosecution argued, contravene Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes Act.
Thomas was arrested following the circulation of the video and pleaded not guilty to the charges. She was remanded at the Suleja Correctional Centre after her arraignment. Her lawyer, Seprebofa Oyeghe, has continued to contest the allegations.
The case has drawn public attention due to the high-profile individuals involved and the implications for the regulation of online communication under Nigeria’s cybercrime laws.
