SP Michael Kalu, the 1st prosecution witness (PW-1) in the trial of an Abuja-based lawyer and four social media influencers accused of defaming Sen. Shehu Umar, on Tuesday, gave his testimony.
Kalu, a police investigator serving with the National Cybercrime Centre (NCC) of the Nigerian Police Force, Abuja, gave his evidence before Justice Rita Offili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The witness, who was led in evidence-in-chief by Abueh Leyii, counsel for the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), chronicled how his office was able to track the defendabts following a petition by the senator.
He said his department received a petition from Sen. Umar, the current Chairman, Senate Committee on Livestock and Animal Husbandry, on criminal conspiracy, cyberbullying and criminal defamation of his character by the defendants.
“I was able to reach out to the senator who represents Bauchi South Senatorial District.
“I called him to come and adopt his petition being our tradition and to explain more about what transpired,” he said.
The PW-1 said the lawmaker told him how the syndicates accused him of sponsoring bandits through financial support and procurement of motorcycles for them.
He said Umar told him that the defendants also alleged that he masterminded the disappearance of his own aide and that all the allegations were carried out through the internet space.
“We profiled the social media handles used to identify the persons of interest,” he said.
Kalu said during investigation in conjunction with a network provider and other agencies of government, they were able to get the phone number used for the Tiktok handle with user name “Kibanna Channel” and his Youtube channel.
The witness said their investigation finally revealed Ahmed Abdulrahman, who is also a lawyer, as the owner of the phone number.
He said Abdulrahman was traced to Kano State where he eventually reported in their office.
According to him, Abdulrahman identified the phone number and the social media handles as his own.
The witness also told the court how the other four co-defendants were tracked by the police.
He said since the message was sent through the cyberspace, the reactions that followed caused a damage to the reputation of the lawyer.
And after the defence lawyers, including Abdul Mohammed, SAN; Hamza Danttani, Afix Matanmi and A.A. Badmus crossed-examined the witness, Justice Offili-Ajumogobia adjourned the matter until Feb. 9, 10 and 11 for continuation of trial.
The AGF and Minister of Justice, Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, had, in December 2025, taken over the prosecution of the matter from the Inspector General (I-G) of Police.
Abdulrahman (1st defendant) and his co-defendants were initially being prosecuted by the I-G.
The I-G, in the 11-count charge, marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/526/2025 and filed by Anthony Egwu on Oct. 6, 2025, named Daure David, Ishaq Muhammed, Abdulrashid Musa and Nasir Abubakar as 2nd to 5th defendants respectively.
The defendants were, on Oct. 30, 2025, arraigned on 11-count charge which also bordered on alleged cybercrime, defamation, advance fee fraud, among others.
They, however, pleaded not guilty to the counts and their counsel filed applications for their bail.
Justice Offili-Ajumogobia had, on Nov. 24, 2025, admitted Adbulrahman to a N50 million bail with two sureties in the like sum.
Also in three separate rulings on bail applications for the co-defendants, the judge admitted them to bail in the sum of N1 million each and one surety each in the like sum.
The sureties, the judge said must be a grade level 12 officer in the employment of the Federal Government.
In count one, the defendants were alleged to have, sometime in 2025, conspired among themselves “to commit an offence, to wit; cyberstalking against Senator Shehu Buba Umar.”
The offence is said to be contrary to Section 27(1)(b) and punishable under Section 21(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024.
In count three, Abdulrahman was alleged to have, sometime in 2025, intentionally sent a video via his Tiktok handle with user name “Kibanna Channel” and his Youtube channel to defame the lawmaker by linking him to sponsorship of banditry with a view to tarnishing his image as a serving Senator.
The suspect was alleged to have stated that “Senator Umar, a serving Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is a sponsor of banditry and called for his investigation, a statement you made by means of computer systems and network knowing same to be false, for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order and causing the Senator fear of death”.
The offence Is also said to be contrary to Section 24(1)(5) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024, among other counts, among others.
