Court remands PIDOM in prison over alleged money laundering, other charges

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of a Nigerian blogger, Isaac Bristol, also known as PIDOM, at the Kuje Correctional Centre.

The judge, Emeka Nwite, issued the remand order following the defendant’s arraignment by the Nigeria Police Force on charges including money laundering, cybercrime, and falsely levelling a money laundering allegation against President Bola Tinubu.

He was also accused of unlawfully obtaining, retaining and disseminating classified official secret documents.

Mr Bristol, known for his handles @pidomnigeria and 99%oppressed on X (formerly Twitter), was arraigned on nine counts.

He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Following his plea of not guilty, Mr Nwite adjourned the case until 23 September for the ruling on the bail application.

The judge ordered the defendant remanded in the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the ruling.

Allegations

In a copy of the charges seen by PREMIUM TIMES, the police accused Mr Bristol of transmitting an allegedly classified document of the federal government via his Twitter handles between June and July.

The police said the defendant falsely claimed in the document that President Bola Tinubu released through Vice President Kashim Shettima more than N24 billion as “free money” to the chairman of the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON).

“Because Nigerians didn’t react enough,” the police said, the defendant increased the amount allegedly released to the NAHCON chairman to N90 billion.

They said the defendant did so to cause a “breakdown of law and order,” thereby committing an offence contrary to section 24 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 as amended 2024.

The police arrested him in his hotel room in Port Harcourt in Rivers State on 5 August.

Force spokesperson Olumuyiwa Adejobi said he was arrested on allegations of “committing serious offences that undermine the integrity of government operations”.

The statement added that several allegations were levelled against the suspect, including unlawful possession, leakages of classified documents, cyber-related offences, and others.

Mr Adejobi vowed that the police would continue to enforce the law and leave Nigerians with a more secure nation.

Mr Bristol’s arrest raised concerns online, as his associates did not know his whereabouts immediately.

The situation triggered a trending campaign on X (formerly Twitter) calling for his release with hashtags like #PIDOM, #FreePidom, and #WhereisPidom, among others.

Charges

“That you, Bristol Tamunobifiri ‘M’ 41 years of No. 36 Hardy Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Nigeria within this Honourable court sometime between June and July 2024 within the jurisdiction of the Honourable transmitted an alleged classified document of the Federal Government of Nigeria by means of X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%opressed wherein you knowingly sent a false message to with: See the document below wherein Tinubu released the sum of N24, 143, 494, 567.32 billion Naira 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 with the intention of causing the breakdown of law and order, and you hereby commit an offence contrary to section 24 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 as amended 2024, ” one of the counts read.

Count 1 of the charges read that Bristol “mobilised” and “solicited” support to “compel” the government to act or abstain from certain acts through the #EndBadGovernance protest.

In Count 2, the prosecution alleged that PIDOMNigeria disseminated false money laundering allegations against President Bola Tinubu.

In Counts 3, 4 and 5 the prosecution stated that the defendant unlawfully obtained, retained and disseminated classified secret documents in contravention of the official Secret Act 1962.

Counts 6, 7, and 8 are money laundering allegations, accusing Mr Bristol of obtaining funds “intentionally, knowingly, or he ought to have known” to be the proceeds or part of the proceeds of an unlawful act.

Count 9 accuses PIDOMNigeria of destroying evidence that could have been used against him in court. The count alleges that he tried to flush his Techno Phantom 6 in the toilet.