Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has criticized the Nigeria Police Force for arresting three bloggers over reports linked to business mogul Tony Elumelu.
Sowore, in a Facebook post, argued that reporting on the alleged marital status of a public figure does not amount to a criminal offence and should not attract arrest or detention. He maintained that such issues fall under civil defamation law rather than criminal prosecution.
He called for the immediate release of the detained individuals — Kingsley Akunemeihe, Chigozie Success Ihebom, and John Surpruchi Nwanorue — insisting that their arrest was unjustified.
His comments followed a statement from the United Bank for Africa (UBA), which dismissed the viral claim that its chairman, Tony Elumelu, had divorced his wife, describing it as false, malicious, and damaging to reputation.
UBA confirmed that it had alerted law enforcement authorities, which led to the arrest of three individuals allegedly involved in creating and spreading the report. The bank warned that those sharing the content could face legal consequences if they failed to remove it.
The situation has sparked wider debate about freedom of expression, defamation laws, and the role of security agencies in handling online publications in Nigeria.
