A Chief Magistrate Court sitting in Nnewi, Anambra State, has ordered the remand of James Okoye Ebube, popularly known as Jaluo or Akachaam, for 30 days over allegations of conspiracy and cybercrime.
The remand followed an ex parte application filed by the Commissioner of Police in Suit No. NMD/MSC.279/2026 and Motion No. MN/939/2026, under Sections 130 and 132 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Anambra State, 2022.
Okoye was arrested in Nnewi on Saturday, by local vigilante operatives while carrying out what he described as a ritual cleansing exercise.
He first attracted widespread public attention on January 14, 2026, when he walked out of the dedication ceremony of the Our Lady of Assumption Cathedral in Nnewi and publicly announced his renunciation of the Christian faith.
His reason was the alleged unfair treatment meted out to his former boss, and the late member who represented Anambra South in the National Assembly, Senator Ifeanyi Uba, by the Catholic Diocese, as it concerns the building of the Cathedral.
Counsel to the Nigeria Police Force Legal Department, Zone 13, Ukpo, A.N. Obo, during the court session, urged the court to remand the suspect at the Nnewi Correctional Centre to allow investigators conclude their probe and forward the case file to the Anambra State Attorney-General for legal advice.
According to a supporting affidavit deposed to by the investigating officer, ASP Tijani Attai, a complaint was lodged on August 19, 2026, by one Okoli Innocent, accusing Okoye and others still at large of conspiracy and cybercrime.
The police alleged that Okoye circulated recorded voice notes in several WhatsApp groups, including a Nnewi-based platform, in which he accused the complainant of being involved in kidnapping activities in Nnewi and neighbouring communities.
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Investigators described the voice notes as false publications amounting to cyberstalking and cyberbullying, adding that the messages allegedly caused the complainant to fear for his life and personal safety.
The prosecution informed the court that the Magistrate Court lacks jurisdiction to try the substantive cybercrime charges, making the remand necessary pending the completion of investigations and the filing of charges before a competent court.
Court documents indicate that the police submitted copies of the case file and Form 12 alongside the application, while certified copies of the motion, affidavit and written address were endorsed by the Chief Magistrate Court on September 8, 2026.
The 30-day remand is intended to facilitate ongoing investigations and the Attorney-General’s review of the case. Okoye remains a suspect, and no court has found him guilty of the allegations.
