Bank Official Who Published Alleged ‘Annoying’ Facebook Posts Against Gov. Udom Granted Bail

A High Court in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, has granted bail to a bank
official who was remanded in prison for allegedly publishing
“damaging and annoying” articles on Facebook against Akwa Ibom
governor, Udom Emmanuel.

The bank official, Michael Itok, 21, was granted N500,000 bail
on Thursday by the court presided by Justice Archibong Archibong,
after spending 23 days in Uyo prison.

His lawyer, Imo Akpan, filed the case at the High Court, seeking
his release from custody.

Mr Itok, a marketer with Prudential Microfinance Bank, Uyo, was
arrested on October 8 by the State Security Service, SSS, and
detained for 48 days before he was taken to a magistrate court in
Uyo, November 26.

Mr Itok, according to his Facebook profile, claimed he had
worked as a steward to Governor Emmanuel.

He was accused of writing numerous articles against the Akwa
Ibom governor and other officials of the state government.

The attorney general of Akwa Ibom State, Uwemedimo Nwoko
represented the state during Thursday’s proceedings in the High
Court. He did not oppose Mr Itok’s bail application.

“I didn’t oppose the bail, I told the court I am not opposing
his bail but let the court give conditions to ensure that he
appears in court and answer charges,” Mr Nwoko said.
Mr Nwoko told PREMIUM TIMES, Nairalaw Mr Itok committed
“criminal blackmail against the governor and his family”.

What Mr Itok did is not criticism, the state attorney general
said.

“When you want to criticise, you criticise issues, it is allowed
in any democracy.

“When you begin to probe into the private life of a person and
begin to raise allegations bordering on morality which you cannot
substantiate that is not addressing the person’s responsibilities
as a governor or as a public officer,” he said.

The charge at the magistrate court against the bank marketer
reads, “That you, Mr Michael Itok and another now at large,
sometimes in October, 2019 at 1000 Units Housing Estate, Idu Uruan,
Uruan Local Government Area, within the Uyo Magisterial District
did constitute yourself into a nuisance by publishing damaging and
annoying articles on your Facebook page with the aim of harassing,
blackmailing and bringing to disrepute His Excellency Deacon Udom
Gabriel Emmanuel and other staff of the Akwa Ibom State Government
House, and thereby commits and offence punishable under Section
6(1) (f) of the Akwa Ibom State Internal Security and Enforcement
Law, 2009.”

Apart from Mr Akpan who is the lead defence lawyer, other
lawyers in the team are Anthony Udonsa, Nsikak Akai, Eseme Philip,
and Kevin Udoma. They are representing Mr Itok pro bono in the
case.