Court Remands Retired DSS Officer Over Alleged IPOB Support, Sets Trial for October

A retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nwaogu Ihechimere Ezeakolam, has been remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre after being arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over alleged support for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The DSS brought the retired operative before Justice Muhammed Umar on Thursday on a four-count charge bordering on alleged membership of IPOB, dissemination of materials supporting the group and using social media to encourage public backing for the organisation.

Ezeakolam pleaded not guilty to all the charges after they were read in court. Following his plea, the prosecution requested a trial date and urged the court to keep the defendant in custody pending the commencement of proceedings.

Justice Umar granted the prosecution’s request, ordering that the retired DSS officer be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The case was adjourned until October 29, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

According to the charge, the DSS alleged that between 2025 and 2026, Ezeakolam directly and indirectly provided moral support to IPOB by disseminating information in favour of the proscribed group through the internet and his social media platforms. Prosecutors argued that the alleged actions contravened Section 13 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

The second count accused him of joining IPOB, while the third alleged that he knowingly aided and abetted the organisation by posting messages intended to persuade members of the public to support the group. The offences were said to be punishable under Sections 25 and 26 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

In the fourth count, the prosecution alleged that the retired security officer published content on social media aimed at advancing the activities of IPOB. The DSS said the alleged offence violated Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.

The trial is expected to begin later this year, with the court set to determine the allegations brought against the retired intelligence officer.