In a significant ruling, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the detention of Isaac Bristol Tamunobifiri, widely known as PIDOM, at the Kuje Correctional Facility.
This decision follows PIDOM’s arraignment on a series of serious charges, including money laundering, cybercrime, and the unlawful acquisition and dissemination of classified documents.
Appearing in court on Tuesday, PIDOM pleaded not guilty to all nine counts presented by the Inspector General of Police. His attorney, Deji Adeyanju, subsequently requested bail, but the plea was met with opposition from the prosecution.
After considering arguments from both sides, Justice Nwite adjourned the case until September 23 to deliberate on the bail application, while ordering PIDOM to remain in custody at Kuje Correctional Centre.
According to the charges, identified as FHC/ABJ/CR/456/2024, PIDOM is alleged to have mobilized support to pressure the government through the #EndBadGovernance protest. He faces accusations of falsely implicating President Bola Tinubu in money-laundering activities and unlawfully handling confidential documents in violation of the Official Secrets Act of 1962.
The prosecution further claims that PIDOM’s alleged financial gains stem from illegal activities. Notably, one of the charges indicates that he attempted to destroy evidence related to the case by damaging his Techno Phantom X phone and attempting to dispose of it in the hotel’s plumbing system at the time of his arrest.
