Court grants N5 million bail to social media critic accused of insulting Akpabio

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted bail to social media commentator, Garus Gololo, in his ongoing trial over alleged cybercrime and the defamation of Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The court, which admitted Gololo to bail in the sum of N5 million with one surety in like sum, ruled that the surety must be a grade level 12 officer in the federal civil service.

Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, following the judgment, adjourned the case until September 22 for the continuation of trial.

DAILY POST recalls that Gololo is standing trial on a seven-count charge filed by the Nigeria Police Force bordering on alleged cybercrime, cyberstalking, defamation and incitement. 

The social media commentator had earlier been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after pleading not guilty to the charges.

According to the prosecution, Gololo published a viral video and Facebook posts claiming that Akpabio said northerners must support President Bola Tinubu’s re-election bid in 2027 or risk being expelled from Nigeria.

The charge stated that Gololo also alleged that the Senate President said “with or without the North, Tinubu would win”.

Meanwhile, the office of the Senate President denied making the alleged comments, describing the claims as “completely false, malicious, and deliberately intended to mislead the public and incite tension”. 

It also said that the allegation had no basis in fact and urged Nigerians to disregard it.