Chief Magistrate Obinna Njemanze of the Magistrate’s Court in Owerri, Imo State, has ordered the remand of Barrister Chinedu Agu, former secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri branch, over allegations of criminal defamation and incitement stemming from Facebook posts critical of Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration and the state’s police command.
Despite acknowledging that the court lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter, Magistrate Njemanze, who also serves as Deputy Chief Registrar of the Imo State High Court, granted the police request to detain Agu.
This development was disclosed by human rights lawyer Professor Chidi Odinkalu in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday.
The Imo State Police Command arraigned Agu earlier that morning, charging him with criminal defamation and incitement. Agu pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Following his plea, the prosecution team, led by Mr. F. O. Itua of the police Legal/Prosecution Unit, formally requested that Agu be remanded in prison custody.
Magistrate Njemanze subsequently adjourned the case to October 29, 2025.
Earlier on Wednesday, SaharaReporters reported that Odinkalu condemned what he described as “trumped-up” charges against Agu, brought by the Imo State government under Governor Hope Uzodinma in collaboration with the state police command.
In the charge sheet, signed by Barrister F.O. Itua, Officer-in-Charge of Legal/Prosecution Unit at the Imo State Police Command Headquarters, Agu is accused of publishing Facebook posts critical of Governor Uzodinma’s administration and the police.
SaharaReporters on September 17, 2025, reported that the NBA strongly condemned the invitation of Agu by the Imo State Police Command over allegations of “criminal defamation” and “conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace.”
The Association described the development as an abuse of police powers aimed at silencing citizens and intimidating legal practitioners who exercise their constitutional rights.
The legal body emphasized that criticism of government policies, institutions, or officials does not constitute a crime, noting that the continued reliance on criminal defamation charges is a “dangerous relic of authoritarianism” that undermines democracy.
The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, warned that the Association would take every lawful step, both nationally and internationally, to resist attempts to criminalise free speech or intimidate its members.
Also, the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) condemned police prosecution of Agu, describing it as a clampdown on free expression in Imo State.
RULAAC emphasized that defamation, even if proven, is a civil matter, not a criminal offence. It accused the government of weaponising the police to silence dissent.
Reacting to Agu’s remand in prison by the Magistrate’s court, which admitted a lack of jurisdiction on the case, Odinkalu accused Njemanze of issuing a corrupt and pre-determined remand order against the lawyer.
“This morning, in Owerri, Imo State, a Magistrate, Obinna Njemanze, issued a corrupt & pre-determined order for the remand of lawyer Chinedu Agu, after holding that he lacked jurisdiction,” Odinkalu wrote.
“A court can’t remand on charges for which it lacks jurisdiction. He adjourned to October 29,” he added.
According to Odinkalu, “Mr. Njemanze is the son of a former Chief Judge of Imo State on an insider fast track to the High Court bench”.
The human rights lawyer further stated that at present, while Mr. Njemanze holds the position of Deputy Chief Registrar of the High Court of Imo State, “The position of Chief Registrar has been an object of musical chairs this year as the Imo State Governor has sought to find a suitable pliable person in the role to control the High Court.”
Odinkalu revealed, “For much of this week, Mr. Njemanze has led the search for a Magistrate who will issue the kind of corrupt order that he has given this morning.
“Most of his colleagues told him that they lacked jurisdiction and therefore would grant bail. In the end, he decided to play prostitute.
“For his willingness to prostitute the bench & its powers, Mr. Njemanze may well be rewarded with a nomination to the High Court bench in the state where there are lots of vacancies after @njcNig (Nigerian Judicial Commission) relieved 9 judges recently.
“That is the stuff of his ambition. It won’t end well.
“Meanwhile, together with the time he has spent in detention, Mr. Njemanze has sent Chinedu Agu to be detained in prison for 40 days for a crime that is invented entirely by the Imo State govt to intimidate and persecute criticism. This will fail too.”
