On September 16, 2025, Magistrate Stanley Ekeru, a Senior Magistrate in the Bayelsa State Judiciary sitting in Yenagoa, rejected a bail application filed on behalf of Mr Aye O.S. Egberi, the Head of the social media team of the State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was arraigned for alleged defamation and cybercrime. The magistrate ordered that he should be remanded in custody pending the determination of the charges against him.
Recall that the Magistrate had on September 10 ordered Mr Egberi to be remanded for 30 days at the Okaka Medium Correctional Facility for his alleged involvement in cyberstalking the Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri and the State Commissioner of Police, Mr Francis Idu.
Mr Egberi was arrested by the Operation Puff Adder, led by CSP Chris Uwaogbo, over a write-up that accused the State Governor and Police Commissioner of reportedly masterminding the July 2025 abduction of a State High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerim Umokoro, and charged to court. The police argued that Mr Egberi’s publications were a deliberate attempt to undermine security efforts and sabotage the coordinated rescue operation for the abducted judge.
Meanwhile, during the September 16 proceedings, Chief Benjamin S. Ogbara, counsel to Mr Egberi, filed a bail application asking the court to vacate the September 10 remand and admit him to bail pending legal advice from the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP). He supported his application with a medical report from Dr Nathan Abule, a Medical Consultant at the Federal Medical Centre, which showed that Mr Egberi has chronic health conditions, including bronchial asthma and peptic ulcer disease, that are managed through outpatient care.
The police prosecution, represented by Japhet O. Japhet, however, opposed the bail application, arguing that the “prosecution would be ready to proceed once the 30-day period elapses” and therefore the remand should stand.
Following the arguments from both sides, Magistrate Ekeru rejected the bail application and advised Chief Ogbara to approach the Federal High Court for relief regarding bail.
