Enenche drops defamation charges against Omokri but…

Pastor Paul Enenche, the Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, has withdrawn criminal defamation and cyberbullying charges against his younger brother, Alexander Enenche, and former presidential aide, Reno Omokri.

However, he remains resolute in his legal battle against former Dunamis pastor Abraham Daniel and another defendant, Peter Enenche.

The decision to drop the case against Omokri and Alexander Enenche comes amid intense public scrutiny. Pastor Enenche’s legal team formally applied to discontinue the charges, which the court granted without opposition from the defense.

Despite this withdrawal, Pastor Enenche has escalated legal action against Daniel and Peter Enenche. On January 30, 2025, he filed a First Information Report (FIR) accusing them of criminal conspiracy, cyberstalking, and defamation of character. Both men pleaded not guilty, and their lawyer, S. M. Oyeghe, applied for bail.

The courtroom turned chaotic when a Nigerian Correctional Service officer attempted to seize a lawyer’s phone, leading to a tense altercation. In response, Chief Magistrate Emmanuel Iyanna rescinded his initial approval of oral bail applications and demanded a formal written motion, adjourning the hearing to February 7, 2025.

According to the FIR, the accused, along with others still at large, allegedly engaged in a coordinated social media campaign to defame Pastor Enenche and another prominent religious leader through WhatsApp and Facebook. The police report states that their actions violate the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention) Act of 2015 (as amended in 2024) and Section 392 of the Penal Code Law of Northern Nigeria.

The charges stem from a petition by a Concerned Christian Youth Forum, which led to a police investigation and subsequent arrests. Previously, the Nigeria Police Force, acting on a court order, had detained Omokri, Daniel, Alexander Enenche, and Peter Enenche on defamation charges. The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, had initially approved their remand pending further investigations and arraignment.

With Omokri and Alexander Enenche now free from legal proceedings, all eyes are on the February 7 bail hearing for Daniel and Peter Enenche as the legal battle continues.