SSS drops charges against OrderPaper and nine employees

State Security Service (SSS) has withdrawn charges against OrderPaper and nine of its staff who were accused of publishing false information about an alleged conspiracy to remove Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

The decision, confirmed by an SSS source on Saturday, followed “the well-publicised apology of the Defendants on their official websites and other media channels, as well as interventions by relevant stakeholders on their behalf.”

The source said the step taken by the SSS “shows that the Service only protects the right of Nigerians to receive true and authentic information for the good of all.”

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The case was: filed by AA Yusuf, Deputy Director, Federal Ministry of Justice, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday.

In the accusations, it was stated that nine defendants of the newspaper were accused.

These include the trustees of Order Paper (who allegedly published false information on its online platform), Oke Epia (Founder/Publisher and Executive Director of Order Paper) and Tony Okeke Ofodile (Head of Operations).

They also include Edna Bill Ulaeto (Executive/Finance Manager) and Elizabeth Atime (chief rapporteur to the National Assembly, author of the report).

The remaining are Regina Udo (Program Coordinator), Leah Twaki (Social Media Manager), Idongesit Joseph Ekoh (Administrator Support) and Edoesomi Sharon Omonegho (National Assembly reporter) as the 6th to 9th defendants respectively.

In Count 1, the prosecution accused the combined trustees of Order Paper, located at Suite C12, Halima Plaza, Plot 1496, Balanga Street, District 11, Garki, Abuja, through their agents, and other defendants of publishing false information through the online platform.

On or about October 16, the SSS were said to have laid siege to the National Assembly over plans to impeach the President of the Senate; “you knew it was wrong, so you were committing an offense contrary to Article 24(1)(a).” It falls under the Cyber ​​Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015 and is punishable under the same section.”

In Count 2, the prosecution further alleged that the defendants and others in general deliberately posted defamatory statements about SSS and Mr. Akpabio on their online platforms.

The third and fourth charges charged the defendants with defamation under Article 375 of the Criminal Code Act; SSS alleged that the publication of the OrderPaper falsely portrayed the agency’s actions as illegal and damaged the reputation of both SSS and Mr. Akpabio.

In the fifth charge, the SSS accused OrderPaper of disseminating false news with the aim of creating public fear and inconvenience, in violation of Article 59 of the Criminal Code Act.

Finally, in the sixth charge, conspiracy was alleged under Section 516(a) of the Criminal Code Act, and OrderPaper’s agents were accused of colluding to spread false information about the alleged siege of the DSS in the National Assembly.

Arrest

This newspaper was previously published by SSS agents. arrested Ms Ulaeto, a senior employee of OrderPaper, during a pre-dawn raid on her home on 18 October.

According to OrderPaper, agents forced their way into his home, removed him without explanation, and took him to an undisclosed location.

In the statement made by OrderPaper, it was stated that the neighbors who witnessed the incident were intimidated and forced to delete the photos and videos they took during the raid.

OrderPaper condemned the arrest as “brazen” and “appalling”, alleging that SSS agents tracked Ms Ulaeto’s phone without a warrant and “violently assaulted” her in front of her family members.

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Stating that no official notification or invitation was issued before the raid, the organization stated that the incident left its staff “in fear”.

Following her arrest, the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria) intervened on behalf of Ms. Ulaeto, securing her release later the same day.