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The department of state security (DSS) is set to prosecute Ogidi Ben Bara, a Bayelsa based journalist and publisher of an online media outlet (TrackNews) over an alleged unpleasant report against the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote

The Publisher had allegedly accused the NCDMB Boss, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote of offering him the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) for the purpose of luring him to testify in favour of Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote in an alleged defamation suit filed by Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote against the Publisher of Pointblank Newspaper, Mr Jackson Ude.

This Publication according to security sources allegedly caused annoyance, enmity, hatred and ill will towards the NCDMB Boss, Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote

According to Ogidi;
“I had a personal conversations with Wabote and any demand I made at the time for which i regretted are all personal and not with the instructions of anyone.”

“It is simply disingenuous for Wabote to now seek to use my personal conversations with him to score cheap legal goals, discredit and blackmall people.

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“Timi Frank and Jackson Ude never sent me to Wabote. Nowhere in my phone record would anyone find any conversations between either me and Timi Frank or Jackson Ude where any demand or issues with Wabote or anyone was discussed. It is all lies from the pit of hell!”

While giving details to what happened, Ogidi added: “Wabote’s problems with me started when he asked me to appear as a witness for him over the defamation case against Mr Ude. I refused.”

“Next thing, he sent some people to me in my Yenagoa home at about 10pm in the evening offering me money to appear as a witness to corroborate his claims that he is being blackmailed by Ude and Frank. I told the people he sent would never do that since that was not the case.”

“He then without my knowledge or consent, added my private chats with him in his U.S Court filings, claiming blackmail and attempt to extort him. It is all a lie and a ploy by Wabote to beef up his case which he is struggling to prove in the US Court.”

“After I refused to back him up and instead tendered an apology to Mr Ude who knew nothing about my conversations with Wabote, Wabote and the Minister of State, Petroleum, Timipre Syiva, used the DSS to arrest me. I was detained for 48hrs by the DSS in Yenogoa for no reason. Till date, nobody has told me my offence or offences.”

Raising alarm over his safety, Ogidi said: “My life has been in danger, have been in hiding since I was released from the DSS detention. have been receiving threat calls from unknown numbers who are accusing me of trying to bring a fellow Ijaw man down.

“I run a news blog and most times cull up stories from different websites. I culled up the story that brought about the defamation against Mr Ude from Pointblanknews. I didn’t do that for pecuniary gains. Although, I contacted Wabote on a personal level as an Ijaw man. I regret that decision. Wabote should please leave me alone and stop using my conversations with him to attack people.”

Bellow are the Two Count Charges against the Publisher as sighted by NAIJA LIVE TV with suit NO.FHC/YNC/48/22 and filled at the Federal Highcourt in Yenagoa and dated 10th of June 2022

STATEMENT OF OFFENCE:

COUNT 2
“CYBERSTALKING, contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015”

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE:
“You OGIDI BEN BARA on 11th February, 2022 caused a false information to be disseminated via various online newspaper outfits including “THE EAGLE ONLINE” which you knew to be false to wit that the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote offered you the sum of Ten Million Naira (N10,000,000) for the purpose of luring you to testify in his favour in an alleged defamation suit filed by him against on Jackson Ude. This publication caused annoyance, enmity, hatred and ill will towards the said Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote.”

COUNT 2
CYBERSTALKING, contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)b of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention etc) Act, 2015”

PARTICULARS OF OFFENCE
“You, OGIDI BEN BARA on 6th May, 2022 via your online newspaper outfit-TRACKNEWS disseminated a false information which you knew to be false to wit- that the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote in connivance with Shell Petroleum Development Company”

NAIJA LIVE TV gathered that the DSS had already listed the Executive Secretary of Nigeria Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Engr. Simbi Kesiye Wabote as their first witness to personally appear in court to testify against the defendant during trial.

NAIJA LIVE TV earlier reported that, a human rights advocacy group under the aegis of Centre for Justice and Accountability Project (CJAP) has also called on the Director General of department of state security (DSS) Yusuf Magaji Bichi and the Executive Secretary Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Engr. Simbi K. Wabote to urgently release Mr. Bara Ogidi from detention.

Speaking with NAIJA LIVE TV, the Wife of the arrested journalists said, her husband has been detained since Monday 6th June 2022 when he was invited to the DSS Yenagoa office in company of the Bayelsa State Chapter Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Comr. Samuel Numo-Nengi.

Source: Naija LiveTv

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