Ex-DSS officer docked over alleged IPOB membership, terror financing, remanded till Oct. 29

A retired officer of the Department of State Services (DSS), Nwaogu Ezeakolam, was on Thursday arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on a four-count charge bordering on alleged membership of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and alleged sponsorship of terrorism.

Ezeakolam was arraigned before Justice Mohammed Garba Umar on charges filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation (DPPF), Rotimi Oyedepo, SAN.

He was accused of rendering support and material assistance to IPOB, an offence punishable under Section 13 of the Terrorism (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.

He was also accused of joining the group despite allegedly knowing it had been proscribed, contrary to Section 25 of the same Act.

The prosecution further alleged that the defendant used social media platforms to post messages calculated to induce members of the public to support IPOB, contrary to Section 26 of the Act, and to advance the group’s cause online, an offence under Section 18 of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 (as amended).

Ezeakolam pleaded not guilty to all four counts when they were read to him.

Counsel for the DSS, Memunat Oladunjoye, asked the court to fix a date for the commencement of the trial, while counsel for the defendant, Godfirst Maduka, sought time to file a bail application.

Justice Umar directed that the bail application could be filed at any time and fixed 29 October for the commencement of trial.

He ordered that the defendant be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre pending the determination of his bail application.

According to the charges, the alleged offences occurred sometime between 2025 and 2026 in Abuja and Abia State.