…Court fixes Sept. 3 for bail application
By Davies Iheamnachor
PORT HARCOURT — The Federal Government has commenced the prosecution of the Leader and Spokesman of the Conscience of Ogoni People, COP, Chief Gani Uebari Topba, over alleged terrorism, cybercrime and attempts to seize and detain oil wells in Ogoniland.
Topba is facing a four-count charge before the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The court has fixed September 3, 2026, to hear his bail application and for further proceedings in the case.
The Department of State Services, DSS, arrested and detained Topba at the instance of the Federal Government over the allegations.
He was brought before the court on August 19 but was subsequently remanded in DSS custody pending Monday’s proceedings.
According to the charges, Topba allegedly insisted on seizing and detaining all oil wells in Ogoniland to compel the Federal Government to exclude Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, now Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, and its affiliates from oil-related contracts in the area.
He was also accused of allegedly supporting an act of terrorism by making and publishing a video which the prosecution said maligned the leadership of KAGOTE, allegedly with the intention of destabilising the political, economic and social structure of Ogoniland, Rivers State and Nigeria and reviving the crisis that engulfed Ogoniland in 1994.
In the fourth count, Topba was accused of intentionally making and publishing a video through a computer system or network to bully or harass the President-General of KAGOTE, Chief Lesi Maol, and the organisation’s leadership, allegedly placing them in fear of death or bodily harm.
The charge alleged that the offence contravened Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Count three accused Topba of allegedly insisting, between May and August 2026, on seizing and detaining all oil wells in Ogoniland to compel the Federal Government to exclude Shell, now Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, and its affiliates from oil-related contracts in the area.
The prosecution said the alleged offence contravened Section 24 of the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.
When the charges were read to him, Topba, who is also a member of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee, pleaded not guilty to all the counts.
Following his plea, counsel to the DSS, A.A. Emefianna, orally applied for an adjournment to enable the prosecution respond to the bail application filed by Topba’s counsel, Golden Awi.
Awi did not oppose the application but informed the court of difficulties being experienced in gaining access to his client.
The trial judge, Justice Muhammed Turaki, directed the DSS counsel to resolve the access issue with the defence and subsequently adjourned the matter until September 3 for hearing of the bail application and further trial.
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