A Lagos Magistrate’s Court sitting in Ogba on Monday declined a request by the police to remand TikToker Olumide Ogunsanwo aka Seaking.
The TikToker was arrested and docked by the Lagos State Police Command over an allegation of inciting the public.
Seaking, furious about the rise in police brutality, earlier called on the youth to beat up any police officer who brutalises them.
Seaking’s lawyer Inibehe Effiong said he went to the Police Command in Ikeja on Monday morning with his colleague Jeremiah Okoro and the wife of the TikToker who came with her six months old baby.
According to him, when police officers refused to grant them access, he proceeded to report to the commissioner of police (CP) Olanrewaju Ishola. However, while waiting to see Ishola to express his grievances, Seaking was sneaked out of the custody of the CP Tactical Squad 1 where he was being held and taken to the Ogba Magistrate’s Court for secret remand proceedings.
“Thankfully, we intercepted the information and proceeded immediately to the court premises where we met Seaking with the police officers,” he said.
“To our consternation, the Nigeria Police filed a remand application and annexed a charge to it wherein they’re accusing him of treason, cyberstalking, conduct likely to cause breach of peace and provoking breach of peace.
“They are claiming that he called on Nigerian Youths to wage war against the police. We opposed the application for remand on multiple grounds, while urging the court to refuse the application to remand him for 30 days pending Director of Public Prosecution’s (DPP) advice.
“We applied that he should be admitted to bail in line with the provisions of Section 264 (5) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Lagos State.
“The court considered arguments from both sides and upheld our position, and held that the police failed to show probable cause why he should be remanded for 30 days.”
The magistrate admitted Seaking to bail on liberal terms in the sum of N500,000 with two sureties in like sum. One of the sureties should be his family member and the sureties should be resident in Lagos State and be gainfully employed.
The case was adjourned till January 16, 2025.
