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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The Abuja division of the Federal High Court has admitted in evidence a video clip of former presidential aide and ambassadorial appointee, Reno Omokri, describing President Bola Tinubu as a “drug lord,”.
The video was tendered in the ongoing cyberstalking trial of human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
Justice Mohammed Garba Umar, admitted the videos after dismissing objections raised by the prosecution.
The judge ruled that the defence had met the conditions required for tendering electronically generated evidence under Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
The videos were tendered during the cross-examination of the prosecution’s first witness, a Department of State Services (DSS) operative, Cyril Nosike, by Sowore’s counsel, Marshal Abubakar.
Sowore is standing trial on a two-count charge bordering on cyberstalking under Section 24 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) (Amendment) Act, 2024, over social media posts allegedly describing President Tinubu as a “criminal.”
In the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/484/2025, the prosecution claims the posts were false and capable of causing a breakdown of law and order.
Sowore was arraigned on January 19, 2026, and pleaded not guilty to both counts.
At the last adjourned date, the court admitted Sowore’s tweet and related screenshots as exhibits, following testimony by the same DSS operative, who said the posts generated reactions capable of causing public tension.
The DSS also wrote to X and Meta Platforms Inc. requesting the takedown of the posts, and later wrote to Sowore through his lawyers.
During cross-examination at Tuesday’s resumed proceedings, Abubakar pointed to the witness the failure of the DSS to personally interview President Tinubu or obtain a statement from him on the alleged impact of Sowore’s posts.
Nosike admitted that he did not record the video of the President speaking in Brazil, did not know who recorded it, and was not in Brazil when it was made.
He also confirmed that he did not obtain a personal statement from the President confirming he was the person in the video, nor did he take any statement from the President on how the post affected him.
The DSS operative further told the court that although the President is the alleged victim in the charge, he had “no idea” whether Tinubu was aware of the post.
Abubakar also tendered court orders issued by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court on February 19, 2024, directing the DSS to return three mobile phones seized from Sowore.
The prosecution, led by Akinlolu Kehinde, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, objected to the admissibility of the documents but reserved its arguments for final address.
Justice Umar admitted the documents as exhibits.
The defence counsel also tendered a flash drive containing several video clips of Reno Omokri, alongside a certificate of compliance.
The prosecution, Kehinde objected to the evidence arguing that the certificate was prepared by a person who was not the witness, contrary to Section 84 of the Evidence Act.
Abubakar countered that the law does not require the maker of an electronic document to be the witness tendering it, but only that statutory conditions for admissibility be satisfied.
In a brief ruling, Justice Umar dismissed the objection and admitted the flash drive and certificate as exhibits.
When the videos were played in open court, one of the clips showed Omokri during a 2023 interview on ARISE News, where he stated that he had documentary evidence to support his claim that President Tinubu was a “drug lord.”
“Drug lord is not an unprintable name. Bola Tinubu is a known drug lord. I’ve got documents to back it up. I spent my money, went to Chicago, went to court, and got certified true copies. Bola Tinubu is a drug lord,” Omokri was heard saying in the video.
Another clip showed Omokri declaring that he would never work with President Tinubu.
Following the playback, Abubakar asked the DSS witness why Omokiri, despite publicly making such allegations, was cleared for an ambassadorial appointment by the same security agency.
Nosike replied that he could not speak to the reason.
The defence further put it to the witness that President Tinubu had publicly undertaken to protect the rights of Nigerians to criticize, insult, or disagree with him.
The witness said he was not aware of such an undertaking.
Responding to questions on the rationale for the charge against Sowore, Nosike said, “I am not serving on the prompt of the President. I am here based on the implication of the post.”
Justice Umar subsequently adjourned the matter to February 4, 2026, for continuation of cross-examination.
The trial stems from Sowore’s August 25, 2025 posts on X and Facebook, where he reacted to a video of President Tinubu speaking in Brazil and described him as a “criminal.”
Nigerian Navy names Captain Folorunsho as new Director of Naval Information
BY PHILIP NWOSU
The Nigerian Navy has appointed Captain Abiodun Abidemi Folorunsho as the new Director of Naval Information and Spokesperson, following the approval of the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Idi Abbas.
Captain Folorunsho formally took over duties yesterday, January 27, 2026, from Commodore Aiwuyor Adams-Aliu, who served in the position for over two years and has been redeployed as the Commander of Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) Beecroft, the Navy’s premier operational base.
In a statement by the Naval Headquarters, the appointment was described as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen strategic communication and public engagement within the Nigerian Navy.
Born on December 27, 1979, in Benin City, Captain Folorunsho began his military journey at the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), where he was admitted in 1998 and commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in September 2003. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering from the NDA and multiple postgraduate degrees in war studies, international affairs, energy management, and national security from leading institutions in Nigeria, Pakistan, Sweden, and the United States.
Throughout his distinguished naval career, Folorunsho has served in various operational, instructional, and strategic roles across Nigerian Navy ships, shore establishments, and international missions. His deployments include: Operation SAFE HAVEN (now Operation ENDURING PEACE), service at the United Nations Mission in South Sudan, and key managerial roles at the Naval Dockyard Limited, Lagos, where he contributed to indigenous shipbuilding projects, including the construction of Nigerian Navy Ship OJI.
He also served as Chief Instructor, Department of Maritime Warfare at the Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Jaji, and later as Assistant Director, Plans/CNS Directive at the Naval Headquarters prior to his elevation.
Captain Folorunsho has attended several professional military courses locally and internationally, including the Senior Staff Course at the Pakistan Navy War College, the United Nations Staff Officers Course in Sweden, and advanced defence management programmes at the United States Naval War College, where he is a Fellow.
A recipient of numerous military decorations and commendations, his awards include the Forces Service Star, Meritorious Service Star, United Nations Medal, General Operations Medal, and the Chief of the Naval Staff Award for Best Graduating Student of the Naval Warfare Course, among others.
He is a member of several professional bodies, including the Nigerian Society of Engineers, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, and the Nigerian Institute of Management. He is also a Fellow of the Naval War College Nigeria, the United States Naval War College, and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, Japan.
