Court Grants Akpabio’s Alleged Defamer ₦5 Million Bail

The Federal High Court in Abuja has granted bail to social media critic and politician, Garus Gololo, who is standing trial over alleged cybercrime and defamation of Senate President, Godswill Akpabio.

The court, on Thursday, admitted Gololo to bail in the sum of ₦5 million with one surety in like sum. The court ruled that the surety must be a Grade Level 12 officer in the Federal Civil Service.

The matter was adjourned until September 22, 2026, for continuation of the trial.

Gololo was arraigned by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) on a seven-count charge bordering on alleged cyberstalking, defamation and incitement.

The case followed a viral video and Facebook posts in which Gololo allegedly claimed that Akpabio said northerners must support President Bola Tinubu’s 2027 re-election bid or risk being expelled from Nigeria.

He also allegedly claimed that Akpabio said, “With or without the North, Tinubu would win.”

The Office of the Senate President denied the alleged remarks, describing them as “completely false, malicious, and deliberately intended to mislead the public and incite tension.”

It said the allegation had “no basis in fact” and urged Nigerians to disregard it. Gololo pleaded not guilty to all seven counts.

Meanwhile, in May, the Nigerian Army distanced itself from Gololo, declaring that he was neither a serving nor a retired officer of the army and had never worked with it in any capacity.

The Army issued the clarification following reports that described Gololo as a retired Major General who was arrested at the Grand Square Supermarket in Abuja after criticising Akpabio over comments linked to the 2027 presidential election.

In a statement, the Nigerian Army faulted reports identifying Gololo as a retired Army General, insisting that the claim was false and misleading.