Police in Akwa Ibom State have arrested and secured the remand of Mitchel Nkereuwem, a resident accused of cyberstalking lawmaker Prince Akpabio. The arraignment took place before a Magistrate Court in Uyo, where the defendant was ordered to remain in custody pending further proceedings.
Mr Akpabio, who represents the Essien Udim State Constituency in the House of Assembly, is a nephew of the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio. He is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alongside Governor Umo Eno last year.
Allegations and Petition
The accused, Mitchel Nkereuwem, is the husband of Inemesit Nkereuwem, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) candidate for the Essien Udim State Constituency seat. She is reportedly eyeing the same position Mr Akpabio currently occupies, with an eye on the 2027 election.
According to a member of Mr Nkereuwem's legal team, Ewa Okpo, the lawmaker petitioned the police, accusing the activist of publishing an audio recording on an Essien Udim community WhatsApp platform. The recording was said to contain defamatory and threatening statements about Mr Akpabio.
Mr Okpo, in a Facebook post, claimed that the recording had been making the rounds on several WhatsApp groups before it got to his client, who merely forwarded it to another platform. "The maker of the audio identified himself," the lawyer wrote, arguing that the individual who allegedly created the recording was known to all but had not been arrested.
He also alleged that Mr Nkereuwem was detained from about 24 July until his arraignment days later, which he said violates the constitutional provision that requires suspects to be brought before a court within a prescribed period. The magistrate reportedly remanded Mr Nkereuwem pending his appearance before a court with jurisdiction over the alleged cyberstalking offence. The matter has been adjourned to 11 August.
Wife Accuses Lawmaker of Persecution
In a heartfelt video posted on Facebook, Inemesit Nkereuwem accused Prince Akpabio of orchestrating her husband's arrest in a bid to frustrate her political ambition. She said her husband only forwarded the audio clip, which another person had made.
"I've never done this kind of video before, but I'm so heartbroken and forced to do this video," she said. "My husband was arrested on Friday by Prince. What did my husband do? Somebody else recorded an audio clip talking about Prince and posted it on a platform. My husband forwarded the clip to another platform, saying, 'Look at what somebody is saying to our brother.'"
She further alleged that police officers forced their way into their home and arrested her husband despite his health condition. "You locked him up for days without thinking about his health. What if he had collapsed? What if he died there?" she queried.
Mrs Nkereuwem also questioned why the original creator of the audio had not been taken into custody. "The main person that recorded the audio is not arrested because Prince has something in mind about my husband. Because I'm aspiring for the State Assembly, and you have the mind to lock up my husband," she stated.
In an interview with PREMIUM TIMES on Friday, she reiterated that the police examined her husband's phone and informed the family that he was believed to have recorded the clip. She insisted that her husband did not create the audio, describing the arrest as an attempt to derail her political aspirations.
Audio Content and Case Status
A review of the audio recording by PREMIUM TIMES shows that it centers on a personal dispute involving Mr Akpabio and a man who identified himself as Akpan Ikpe. The recording also contains statements that appear to threaten the lawmaker.
However, PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify whether Mr Nkereuwem merely forwarded the recording or whether investigators possess additional evidence linking him to its creation. The lawmaker did not respond to repeated telephone calls and a text message requesting comment.
The police spokesperson in Akwa Ibom, Timfon John, said she would respond when contacted by PREMIUM TIMES but had not done so as of the time of filing this report. Mr Nkereuwem remains in custody as the case is set to come up on 11 August before a court with jurisdiction over the alleged cyberstalking.
