A Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State has adjourned to September 3, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and possible commencement of trial of the Leader and Spokesman of the Conscience of Ogoni People, Chief Gani Topba, over alleged terrorism, cybercrime and other offenses.
The DSS had filed a four-count charge against Topba, including allegations of terrorism, unlawful seizure and detention of oil wells in Ogoniland and cybercrime.
Topba allegedly insisted on the seizure and detention of all oil wells in Ogoniland in a bid to force the federal government to exclude the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, now Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, and its affiliates from oil-related contracts in the area, the charges stated.
Topba is also accused of knowingly or indirectly supporting the commission of an act of terrorism by making and publishing a video which allegedly maligned the leadership of KAGOTE.
The charge said the video was allegedly made with the intention of seriously destabilizing or destroying the fundamental political, economic and social structure of Ogoniland, Rivers State and Nigeria and to cause a recurrence of the crisis that engulfed Ogoniland in 1994. Read Political News
In addition, Topba was charged with willfully creating and disseminating a video via a computer system or network with the intent to bully or harass Lesi Maoi, President-General of KAGOTE, and other leaders of the organization.
The prosecution maintained that the communication induced fear of death or bodily harm in the recipients, thus making it an offense under Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
Topba is also a member of the Ogoni dialog with the federal government on the proposed resumption of oil exploration in Ogoniland. Topba pled not guilty to all the charges.
DSS counsel, A.A. Emefiana, orally applied for an adjournment to enable the prosecution to respond to the bail application made by Topba’s counsel, Golden Awi, during proceedings.
Awi did not oppose the application but told the court of difficulties in gaining access to his client.
Justice Muhammed Turaki has directed the DSS counsel to resolve the issues of access with the defense before adjourning the matter till September 3 for hearing of the bail application and possible trial.
After the proceedings, Awi told journalists that the charges against his client were frivolous and explained the circumstances of the case.
Awi said “Gani Tuba is charged for things relating to terrorism, that he made some comments against the president of KAGOTE which to the eyes of the DSS, those acts were capable of inciting, leading to societal breakdown and he felt it was terrorist act. And that charge came up first on 28th of August where the court took plea and was adjourned for today to for trial.
Today the state security services could not proceed with trial because they said they were not ready, having been served with an application for bail.
That application of bail also was not taken and both the application for bail and trial are adjourned to Thursday September 3, 2026. Our position is that no crime was committed. “That’s the defense fact,” Awi said.
The DSS counsel did not comment on the matter.
