Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal Excessive Courtroom in Abuja, on Tuesday, ordered the remand of self-acclaimed whistleblower, Isaac Tamunobifiri, also called PIDOM, in Kuje correctional facility.
PIDOM was arraigned on Tuesday, on 9 counts introduced towards him by the Inspector Normal of Police, bordering on alleged cash laundering, cybercrime, and disseminating categorised secret paperwork.
Depend one learn: “That you simply Bristol Tamunobifiri ‘M’ 41 years of No. 36 Hardy Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in Nigeria throughout the jurisdiction of this honourable court docket someday between 2023 and August 2024, accessed the pc community utilizing your X deal with @Pidomnigeria with username #99percentoppresed to mobilise and solicit assist from Nigerians to unduly compel the Federal Authorities of Nigeria to carry out or abstain from performing sure acts by way of a motion you promoted with the hashtag #Endbadgovernanceinnigeria and also you thereby commit an offence punishable underneath part 18(1) of the cybercrime (prohibition and prevention e.t.c) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
Depend two rea: “That someday between June and July 2024, throughout the jurisdiction of the honourable court docket, you transmitted an alleged categorised doc of the Federal Authorities of Nigeria utilizing X deal with @Pidomnigeria with username #99percentopressed whereby you knowingly despatched a false message to wit: ‘See the doc under whereby Tinubu launched the sum of N24,143,494,567.32 to NAHCON Chairman by way of Shettima’s workplace. As a result of Nigerians didn’t react sufficient, they went again and elevated it to a whopping Ninety Billion Naira. ‘Saraka’for the boys. Free cash to trigger the breakdown of legislation and order and also you hereby commit an offence opposite to Part 24(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention and so forth) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
Within the cash laundering allegations introduced towards him, the police claimed that the funds PIDOM obtained have been derived from illegal actions.
The ninth cost on the court docket doc accused PIDOM of tampering with proof by destroying his Tecno Phantom X cellphone and trying to flush it down the water system of the resort the place he was arrested.
He, nonetheless, pleaded not responsible to all the costs levelled towards him.
After taking his plea, the defendant’s counsel, Deji Adeyanju, utilized for a bail utility, which was objected to by the prosecution’s counsel.
After listening to the submissions of the attorneys within the swimsuit, Justice Nwite adjourned to September 23 for ruling on the bail utility, whereas he ordered that he be remanded in Kuje correctional centre.
In a cost marked FHC/ABJ/CR/456/2024, PIDOM was accused of mobilising and soliciting assist to unduly compel the federal government to behave or abstain from sure acts by way of the #Endbadgovernance protest, false money-laundering allegations towards President Bola Tinubu, and unlawfully acquiring, retaining and disseminating categorised secret paperwork in contravention of the official Secret Act 1962.
In the meantime, the police have stated 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 Drive spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, stated PIDOM was arrested following a petition from the Workplace of the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation.
Adejobi added that when operatives of the Nationwide Cybercrime Centre stormed PIDOM’s resort, he resisted arrest, locked himself up, destroyed his cellphone and flushed it down the bathroom.
He stated, “The operatives of the Nigerian Police Nationwide Cybercrime Middle have apprehended an nameless hacker in reference to alleged felony conspiracy, offences towards the Official Secret Act, leakage of categorised and restricted paperwork, acts more likely to trigger breach of public peace, sedition, fraud, and tax evasion.
“The discreet investigation was initiated to determine these answerable for the leakage, which led to the identification of Bristol Isaac, Michael Temidayo Alade and David Hundeyin who’re suspects in reference to the alleged crimes.
“The principal suspect, Bristol Isaac, was apprehended at a resort in Port Harcourt by Nationwide Cybercrime Middle detectives.
“In an try to withstand arrest, the suspect locked himself within the resort room, smashed his cellphone, and flushed it down the bathroom to destroy proof. He additionally refused to give up his cellphone’s password, claiming he had forgotten it, thereby concealing data. Subsequent investigations after his arrest revealed a number of suspicious actions between the principal suspect and his accomplices.”
Adejobi additionally stated the suspect illegally accessed police-restricted doc information.
He stated, “Investigations additionally revealed that the suspect was answerable for leaking a delicate restricted doc generated from the Workplace of the President to the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation.
“The suspect had additionally illegally accessed police-restricted doc information and posted directives from the Workplace of the Inspector Normal of Police and lots of different restricted paperwork to jeopardise the safety community in Nigeria.
“The complaints filed by the Workplace of the Secretary to the Authorities of the Federation alleged that an nameless blogger utilizing the Twitter deal with at PIDOM Nigeria revealed and distributed a restricted doc on a delicate matter of nationwide safety.”
The police spokesman stated PIDOM’s arrest was to guard nationwide safety and keep public order.
He stated, “So the Nigerian Police Nationwide Cybercrime Middle has achieved effectively on this regard to determine this man and subsequently apprehended him to guard nationwide safety, keep public order, and determine and apprehend these engaged in felony actions threatening the soundness of our nation.”
When requested to make clear if the police have been on the path of Hundeyin and Alade, Adejobi stated, “I’m positive they’re working assiduously to see how they’ll get them.
“Maybe they will need to have despatched an invite letter to them. Or they will need to have contacted them by some means. I don’t know the plan the crew has.
“However I’m positive since they’ve fingered them, they wish to interrogate them for additional motion. The police will do the needful to verify everybody concerned in such crimes can be dropped at guide after thorough interrogation and investigation.”
The PUNCH studies that Hundeyin raised the alarm on X over the disappearance of PIDOM.
He shared screenshots of messages from an unidentified affiliate of PIDOM who knowledgeable him about PIDOM’s plight.