Sowore demands release of bloggers held over Elumelu divorce claims

Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has demanded the immediate release of three bloggers arrested by the Nigeria Police Force over reports alleging that Tony Elumelu, Chairman of United Bank for Africa, had divorced his wife.

In a Facebook post on Monday, Sowore argued that publishing claims about a public figure’s marital status does not constitute a criminal offence and should not attract police action.

“We must continue to remind the Nigerian Police Force that it is not a criminal offense warranting arrest or detention for bloggers to report that @TonyOElumelu, Chairman of @UBAGroup, has reportedly divorced his wife,” he wrote.

“At most, such a matter falls within the realm of civil law and does not justify police action or repression. The @PoliceNG must therefore immediately release Kingsley Akunemeihe (@Directorkem), Chigozie Success Ihebom, and John Surpruchi Nwanorue (@problemchimky).”

The arrests followed a statement by UBA dismissing as false and defamatory a viral claim alleging that Elumelu had divorced his wife, Awele.

In the statement signed by Group Head of Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications Alero Ladipo, the bank described the report as “fabricated, reckless, and malicious,” saying it was designed to mislead the public and damage reputations.

UBA confirmed that it had notified law enforcement agencies, leading to the detention of three individuals allegedly connected to the creation and circulation of the content.

“We confirm that three individuals directly connected to the creation and dissemination of these malicious falsehoods have been arrested,” the statement read.

The bank also warned individuals and platforms still sharing the content to take it down and preserve related materials for potential legal proceedings, adding that failure to comply could attract both civil and criminal liability.

Sowore’s intervention has reignited debate over the boundaries of free expression, the application of defamation law, and the appropriateness of deploying law enforcement machinery to resolve disputes arising from online publications.