Senate orders crackdown on bandits flaunting crime cash on TikTok

Abuja, FCT – By Prime Brief Media

The Department of State Services on Friday arraigned blogger Chidiebere Justice Mark, popularly known by his online alias Justice Crack, on charges bordering on cybercrime at the Federal High Court in Abuja.

Mark was arrested by the Nigerian Army earlier this month and subsequently handed over to the DSS after he posted a viral video alleging poor welfare conditions and inadequate equipment for troops deployed to frontline operations. The military described the video as capable of subverting discipline and national security.

At the arraignment, the DSS prosecutor told the court that Mark had used his social media platforms to spread false information with the intent to cause panic and undermine public confidence in the armed forces. The defendant pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Counsel to the defendant, Barrister Marshal Abubakar, applied for bail, arguing that Mark was not a flight risk and was entitled to the presumption of innocence. The prosecution opposed the application, citing the gravity of the alleged offences and the risk that the defendant might continue to publish material prejudicial to national security.

The presiding judge adjourned the case until 25 May, 2026, for the commencement of trial and a hearing on the bail application. The court ordered that the defendant be remanded in DSS custody pending the next hearing.

The case has drawn sustained attention from civil society organisations and media freedom advocates, who view it as a test of the boundaries between legitimate commentary and the enforcement of Nigeria's cyber laws. Amnesty International has called for Mark's release, while the military has maintained that the arrest is necessary to protect operational security.

Prime Brief Media is monitoring digital security channels and will report on any additional breaches or advisories.

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