Judex Okoro, Calabar
A Federal High Court sitting in Calabar, Cross River State, has charged former University of Calabar (UNICAL) lecturer Mr Joseph Odok with terrorism and incitement.
Odok, an activist and a blogger, who is being remanded in Afokang, is the second activist that is facing trial for allegedly criticising the governement of Cross River.
Agba Jalingo, a publisher of the Crossriver Watch blog, has also been charged with treason, terrorism and planning to topple the government, and has been in Afokang prison, Calabar South.
DSP Denis Tarhemba, Esq, is the prosecution counsel for both activists.
Odok was arrested on September 26 at his residence in Abuja and transported to Calabar on September 27 by the men of the Nigeria Police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The dated October 14, 2019, reads:
“That you Joseph Odok ‘m’ and others now at large on or between the month of July – August 2019 in Calabar and Abuja within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did incite Cross Riverians to declare full blown war between the people of Ugep Osokom and Oku people of Cross River against themselves and carry out various unlawful acts to wit: terrorism, which you knew are capable of undermining the state security of Cross River and Federal Republic of Nigeria and thereby committed an offence punishable under section 1 (2) (a) (b) and (h) of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013.
“That you Joseph Odok ‘m’ on or about in the month of July – August 2019 at Abuja and Calabar within the Jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did publish a false statement on Social Media on your Facebook account titled “Why Martins Orim must call his cult brother ‘General Iron’ to order” in order to cause alarm, hatred and disturb public peace in Cross River State for the purpose of bringing the reputation of Martins Orim down.
“All this in a bid to annoy him which you knew it will cause insult, enmity, hatred and ill will and incite the people of Cross River State to lunch an attack on him and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 24 (1) (b) of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Prevention Act, 2015.”
Odok pleaded not guilty of the charges before the court.
Earlier, Odok’s (Defendant) Counsel, Osim Esq, notified the court in a petition demanding for a bail, but the Prosecution Counsel, DSP Denis Tarhemba, Esq., said “We are not ready to proceed because we were being served yesterday, so we are applying for adjournment.”
On his part, Justice Amobeda said the Prosecution has 90 days to detain the Defendant, adding that he gave them 45 days and they did filed before that date. So, he adjourned the matter to 29 November, 2019.
After hearing the motion, the learned Justice ruled he (Odok) be remanded in the prison until the adjourned date.