Why We Arrested Fugitive Former Pastor. – Concerned Christian Youths
A Christian group, under the aegis of Concerned Christian Youths has explained why it arrested a fugitive former pastor, Abraham Daniel.
In a statement made available to journalists in Abuja, on Wednesday, leader of the group, James Paul Adama said; “Our attention has been drawn to some online publications purportedly claiming that some individuals were arrested by or at the instance of a certain revered man of God”.
“Nothing can be farther from the truth. We would like to sensitize the public to treat such publications as egregiously malicious, inciteful and fallacious with the intention of swaying attention from the truth”.
“The individuals in question are cyber bullies who have been attacking the Christian Faith and reputable Christian leaders in Nigeria. Those publications are being peddled by the same acrimonious agents in furtherance of their nefarious agenda against the Christian Faith and Christian leaders in Nigeria”.
Speaking further, Adama said; “The arrests were rather made by us, Concerned Christian Youths and Spiritual Sons of the Faith. And we invoked the relevant provisions of the Law against cybercrimes”.
“The Legal Basis for the ArrestsThe Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, ETC) ACT 2015 with the Amendment Act, 2024 have explicit, unambiguous provisions against cybercrimes, including cyber-bullying. Section 24 sub-section (1) provides that, “A person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or Network that –(b) he knows to be false, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent. Commits an offence under this Acts and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years…”Similarly, Section 24 Sub-section 2 provides that, “A person who knowingly or intentionally Transmits or causes the Transmission of any communication through a computer system or Network – To bully, threaten or harass another person, where such communication places another person in fear of death, violence or bodily harm to another person; (c) containing any threat to harm the property or reputation of the addressee or of another or the reputation of a deceased person or any threat to accuse the addressee or any other person of a crime, to extort from any person, firm, association or corporation, any money or other thing of value, commits an offence under this Act, and is liable on conviction – In the case of paragraph (a) and (b) of this sub-section, to imprisonment for a term of this sub-section, to imprisonment for a term of 10 years…, and, In the case of paragraph (C) of this sub-section, to imprisonment for a term of 5 years.”
“Following the provisions of this Act, the Nigerian Police Force in December 2024 declared cyberbullying as a criminal offence punishable by Law. Thus, the activities of the arrested individuals made them liable to prosecution and conviction under the provisions of this Act as highlighted above, and that is the reason for their arrest”.
Adama emphasized and concluded that; “we want to reiterate the fact that the publicized arrests were made by us and not by any man of God as purported by those malicious publications.
Therefore, any attempt to further twist the narrative and force falsehood down the throats of the public will be vehemently resisted, if necessary, with further legal actions using applicable provisions of the Law”.