…Court to hear bail application Sept. 3
The Federal Government has commenced the prosecution of Chief Gani Topba, the leader and Spokesman of the Conscience of Ogoni People, at the Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt for terrorism, plot to seize oil wells in Ogoniland and
The Department of Security Services, DSS, had arrested and detained Topba over the said allegations, and brought him to court on 19th September, but was remanded in DSS custody.
Before his arrest, Topba, who is a member of the Ogoni Dialogue Committee (ODC) had consistently faulted the approach of the Federal Government in it’s discussions with Ogoninl stakeholders on oil resumption in Ogoniland after more than three decades.
On Monday, the Federal Government slammed four count charges on him, including the threat to seize and detain all oil wells in Ogoniland in a bid to compel the Federal Government to exclude Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (now Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited) and all its affiliates from all oil related contracts in the area.
The Ogoni activist, who a few years ago ran the Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, is accused of knowingly or indirectly plotted an act of terrorism by willfully making and publishing a video which allegedly maligned the leadership of KAGOTE.
According to the charge, he made the video with the intent to seriously destabilize or destroy the fundamental political, economic and social structure of Ogoni land, the entire Rivers State and Nigeria, in order to repeat of the crisis that engulfed Ogoni land in 1994.
The charge in count four, alleged that he intentionally made and published the video through a computer system/network to bully or harass the President General of KAGOTE, Chief Lesi Maol, and the entire leadership of the group.
The video, the charge noted placed them in fear of death or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (a) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Act, 2015.
The count three reads: “That you, Gani Uebari Topba of Zaakpon Community, Khana Local Government Area, resident at Reefcot Estate, Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area, Rivers State, between May and August 2026 at Port-Harcourt in Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area and Zaakpon Community in Khana Local Government Area, within the jurisdiction of this court, did consistently insist on seizing and detalning all oil wells in Ogoniland in order to compel the Federal Government of Nigeria to preclude Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited (now Renaissance. Africa Energy Company Limited) and all its affiliates from all oll related contracts in Ogoni Land and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24 of Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, 2022.”
According to Count four:“That you, Gani Uebari Topba of Zaakpon Community, Khana Local Government Area, resident at Reefcot Estate, Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area, Rivers State, on 10th August, 2026, at Port-Harcourt in Port-Harcourt City Local Government Area, within the jurisdiction of this court, intentionally made and published a video through a computer system/network to bully or harass the President General of KAGOTE and the entire leadership of the group which communication placed them in fear of death or bodily harm and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 24(2) (a) of Cyber Crimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015.”
The trial judge, Justice Muhammed Turaki, adjourned till 3rd of September, 2026 for bail application and full trial, after asking DSS counsel to resolve the issues with the defense counsel,
Topba, had firmly pleaded not guilty to the charges read against him; prompting the DSS counsel A A Emefianna, to orally apply for an adjournment to enable them respond to bail application by the defense counsel, Golden Awi.
Awi, counsel for Topba did not oppose to the oral application, but told the court about difficulties been faced in accessing his client.