The magistrate court sitting in Yenagoa has rejected the application for bail of the head of the Social Media team of the Bayelsa Chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Mr. Aye O.S Egberi pending the determination of any charges filed against him.
Magistrate Stanley Ekeru had on the 10th of September ,2025 in suit number, YMCA/747c/2025, ordered the remand of Mr. Aye O.S Egberi for 30 days at the Okaka Medium Correctional facility over alleged involvement in the cases of cyber stalking of the State Police Commissioner, Mr. Francis Idu and the State Governor, Senator Douye Diri.
According to the Police Prosecution team, the accused was arrested by the Operation Puff Adder headed by CSP Chris Uwaogbo over alleged posting of a malicious write-up accusing the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu and the Governor, Senator Douye Siri over being the master mind behind the July abduction of the State High Court Judge, Justice Ebiyerim Umokoro.
But during the last sitting on Tuesday, the Defence team of Mr. Egberi led by Chief Benjamin Ogbara had approached the Magistrate Court with a bail application seeking an order of the Court to vacate it’s order remanding the accused.
They also applied for an order admitting the suspect/applicant to bail pending legal advice by the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) and any of such order or orders by the court.
The request of the Defence team led by Chief Benjamin Ogbara was backed by a medical report signed by a Medical Consultant with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Dr. Nathan Abule.
According to the arguement of the defence team, Mr. Aye O.S Egberi, is asthmatic and known to have bronchial asthmatic with chronic peptic ulcer disease which is managed by internal medicines and has been admitted severally as out-patient in several clinics.
But the Police Prosecution team led by Japhet .O.Japhet argued on the point of law and offered that the remand order should subsist as the prosecution will be ready by the time the 30 days remand order elapse.
Magistrate Stanley Ekeru, after listening to the arguments of the counsel, rejected the bail application and directed the defence team of Benjamin .S.Ogbara to approach the Federal High Court for such order bothering on bail.
Recall that Mr. Egberi is standing trial for publishing defamatory article claiming that Gov. Douye Diri, the Police Commissioner, Francis Idu and Senior officers of the Zone 16 Command of the Nigerian Police masterminded the recent abduction of a State High Court Judge.
Aye O.S Egberi was arrested a fortnight ago by the operatives of the Operation Puff Adder on the order of the State Commissioner of Police, Francis Idu to come and explain how those he accused masterminded kidnapping.
The police argued that despite the concerted efforts of the men of the Operation Puff Adder, the State Commissioner of Police and the State Government to ensure the rescue of the abducted State High Court Judge, the publication of Aye O.S Egberi was a deliberate act to sabotage efforts to ensure security of lives in the State.
