Self-proclaimed “whistleblower”, PIDOM faces charges in Abuja
The Nigeria Police Force, on Monday, concluded plans to bring Isaac Bristol Tamunobifiri, also known as PIDOM before the Federal High Court, Abuja on a nine-count charge.
PIDOM was arrested by officials of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC), in his hotel room in Port Harcourt, on August 5, on allegations of “committing serious offences that undermine the integrity of government operations”, including unlawful possession, leakages of classified documents, cyber-related offences, and others.
His charge sheet reads: “That you Bristol Tamunobifiri ‘M’ 41 years of No. 36 Hardy Avenue, Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Nigeria within this Honourable court sometime between June and July, 2024 within the jurisdiction of the Honourable transmitted an alleged classified document of the Federal Government of Nigeria by means of X handle @Pidomnigeria with username #99%opressed wherein you knowingly sent a false message to with: See the document below wherein Tinubu released the sum of N24, 143, 494, 567. 32 billion Naira to NAHCON Chairman through Shettima’s office. Because Nigerians didn’t react enough, they went back and increased it to a whopping Ninety Billion Naira. ‘Saraka’ for the men. Free money with the intentional of causing the breakdown of law and order and you hereby commit an offence contrary to section 24 (b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc) Act 2015 as amended 2024″.
Charges against him include, mobilizing and soliciting support to compel the government to act or abstain from certain acts through the #EndBadGovernance protest; disseminating false money-laundering allegations against President Bola Tinubu; unlawfully obtaining, retaining and disseminating classified secret documents in contravention of the official Secret Act 1962 and money-laundering.
He is also accused of destroying evidence that could have been used against him in court by trying to flush his Techno Phantom 6 phone.
