On Tuesday, PIDOM, or self-described whistleblower Isaac Tamunobifiri, was placed under remand at the Kuje correctional facility by Federal High Court Judge Emeka Nwite of Abuja.
PIDOM was charged with nine felonies on Tuesday by the Inspector General of Police. The charges included allegations of money laundering, cybercrime, and distributing secret documents that are classified as classified.
Count one read: “That you Bristol Tamunobifiri ‘M’ 41 years of No. 36 Hardy Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this honorable court sometime between 2023 and August 2024, accessed the computer network using your X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%oppresed to mobilize and solicit support from Nigerians to unduly compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to perform or abstain from performing certain acts through a movement you promoted with the hashtag #Endbadgovernanceinnigeria and you thereby commit an offense punishable under Section 18(1) of the Cybercrime (prohibition and prevention e.t.c) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
Count two rea: “That sometime between June and July 2024, within the jurisdiction of the honorable court, you transmitted an alleged classified document of the Federal Government of Nigeria using X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%opressed wherein you knowingly sent a false message to wit: ‘See the document below wherein Tinubu released the sum of N24,143,494,567.32 to NAHCON Chairman through Shettima’s office. Because Nigerians didn’t react enough, they went back and increased it to a whopping ninety billion naira. ‘Saraka’for the men. Free money to cause the breakdown of law and order, and you hereby commit an offense contrary to Section 24(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 as amended 2024.”
According to the police’s money laundering allegations against him, PIDOM obtained funds that were obtained through illegal means.
According to the ninth charge on the court file, PIDOM tried to tamper with the evidence by smashing his Tecno Phantom X phone and flushing it down the hotel’s water system, where he was detained.
Nonetheless, he entered a not-guilty plea to every accusation made against him. Following the defendant’s plea, Deji Adeyanju, the defendant’s attorney, requested bail; the prosecution’s attorney objected.
Following the hearing of the attorneys’ arguments, Justice Nwite ruled that the bail application should be postponed until September 23 and remanded the accused person in the Kuje correctional facility.
