Man gets bail after being arrested for insulting Tinubu

A Lagos Magistrate’s Court in Ogba has granted bail to popular TikToker, SeaKing, in the sum of ₦500,000, with two sureties in like amount.

The court ruled that one of the sureties must be a family member, and both must reside in Lagos and be gainfully employed.

SeaKing, who was arrested on Saturday, faced charges of treason, cyberstalking, and conduct likely to provoke a breach of peace. The charges stemmed from a video he posted criticizing President Bola Tinubu, Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

His lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, disclosed that the police initially denied him, a colleague, and SeaKing’s wife—who brought their six-month-old baby—access to the detainee at the Lagos State Police Command in Ikeja. Effiong revealed that while waiting to meet with the Commissioner of Police, SeaKing was discreetly transferred to the Ogba Magistrate’s Court for remand proceedings.

Effiong and his legal team swiftly intercepted the move and opposed the police’s application to remand SeaKing for 30 days, citing insufficient grounds for such detention. They instead applied for bail under Section 264 (5) of the Lagos State Administration of Criminal Justice Law.

The court ruled in favor of the defense, stating that the police had not provided probable cause for a 30-day remand. The Magistrate granted bail under liberal terms, ensuring that SeaKing’s case would proceed without prolonged detention.

Speaking about the case, Effiong shared:
“While waiting to see the CP to express our grievances, SeaKing was sneaked out 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.

“The Nigeria Police filed a remand application, accusing him of treason, cyberstalking, and provoking a breach of peace. We opposed the application for remand and urged the court to refuse the request, arguing that they failed to provide sufficient grounds.

“The Magistrate upheld our argument, granting him bail in the sum of ₦500,000 with conditions that include having two sureties, one of whom must be a family member and both residents of Lagos State with gainful employment.”

The case has been adjourned to January 16, 2025, for advice from the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP).