The bail application filed by the detained Justice Chidiebere, aka Justice Crack, on Thursday suffered a setback at the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, after his lawyers clashed over representation.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik had, on May 4, fixed today for the hearing of Mr Chidiebere’s bail request shortly after he was arraigned by the State Security Service and pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge.
The adjournment followed an application by Mr Chidiebere’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, who told the court of the need to admit his client to bail pending trial.
The SSS had, in the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/253/2026, sued Mr Chidiebere, a social media influencer, as the sole defendant over alleged cybercrime offences linked to a viral video concerning the Nigerian Army.
Mr Chidiebere was alleged to have circulated false information and published materials capable of causing public unrest.
Mr Chidiebere, who was reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Army, was accused of publishing the viral video and accompanying statements through his X handle, @JusticeCrack, alleging inadequate feeding of Nigerian soldiers.
When the case was called on Thursday, Leyii Abueh, from the Federal Ministry of Justice, informed the court that the attorney general of the federation had taken over the matter from the SSS in line with the relevant section of the law.
However, Femi Balogun and Mr Abubakar stood up to announce appearance of the defendant.
Mr Balogun told the court that he was briefed by Mr Chidiebere’s family to take up the case. He notified the court about the defence bail application already filed.
But Mr Abubakar insisted he was the defendant’s lawyer, who had been appearing in the case, and that he had not been disengaged from handling the matter.
Mr Abdulmalik then asked the defendant to identify his lawyer, and Mr Chidiebere pointed at Mr Balogun.
Against this development, Mr Abubakar applied to withdraw all the processes he had filed in respect of the case, including the bail application on which Mr Balogun had relied.
The judge struck out the processes filed by Mr Abubakar and adjourned the matter until May 18 for the hearing of the fresh bail application.
(NAN)
