Man gets bail after one month for teasing governor on Facebook

A Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, has granted bail to Fonya Sule. He was held for about a month over a Facebook post about Governor Agbu Kefas and the All Progressives Congress (APC) deputy governorship candidate, Zainab Ibrahim.

Mr Sule was held at the Jalingo Correctional Centre after the Taraba State Government complained about the post. The government claimed it defamed the governor and Aunty Zee, as Ms Ibrahim is popularly known.

The complaint was filed by the Office of the Attorney-General on 30 September at the Upper Area Court in Jalingo.

Court records seen by PREMIUM TIMES show that Mr Sule made the Facebook post on 12 August. The post said: "Aunty Zee be Very careful ooh, if not u will soon carry belle, that your boss na one time BuGu."

Ms Ibrahim is the APC deputy governorship candidate for the upcoming 2027 election in Taraba State. The state government said the post aimed to damage the reputations of both the governor and Ms Ibrahim, calling it criminal defamation and injurious falsehood.

The complaint was filed under suit number CM/138/28, based on Section 122(A) of the Taraba State Administration of Criminal Justice Law, 2021. It was signed by A. D. Mustapha, the Director of Public Prosecutions, along with four other state lawyers. The prosecution cited Sections 392 and 393 of the Penal Code Law of Taraba State, 1997.

Mr Sule's lawyer, Pius Danba, went to the Federal High Court in Jalingo to ask for his client's release on bail. He argued that the alleged crime was bailable. He also noted that the prosecution had not yet proven its case.

The court agreed to grant the bail application, according to Mr Danba, who spoke to reporters at the Jalingo Correctional Centre. He emphasized that his client is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a proper court.

Mr Sule was arrested after the post and kept at the correctional centre while waiting for the case to be resolved. There is no immediate news on the bail conditions or when the next court date will be.