Authorities in Abuja, including a Magistrate Court and the Nigeria Police Force, have come under fire for allegedly colluding with a politically connected woman, Sandra Chidinma Duru—popularly known as “Prof Mgbeke”—to defy a restraining court order by harassing and attempting to arrest a journalist, Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya.

Journalist Targeted Over Refusal to Produce Defamatory Jingle

Francess, a respected journalist, political analyst, and gender advocate, is reportedly facing persecution after refusing to yield to unethical demands tied to a politically charged media production.

According to reliable sources, including family members who spoke to SaharaReporters on Wednesday, Francess was contacted by Duru to produce a campaign jingle.

The jingle was allegedly intended to target Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who had publicly accused Senate President Godswill Akpabio of sexual harassment—a claim that has stirred national debate

Sandra Duru, believed to be politically connected to Akpabio, allegedly instructed Francess to frame the jingle in a way that would discredit Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

However, when Francess submitted the completed work in a professional and ethically responsible manner, Duru reportedly complained that it was not “indicting enough” and demanded a refund.

A family source revealed that following Francess’ refusal to rework the jingle in a defamatory tone or refund the fee—having fulfilled the initial terms—Sandra Duru allegedly resorted to threats and began leveraging state institutions to intimidate her.

Police and Court Orders Ignored Amid Harassment

However, despite the court’s clear directive, police operatives—allegedly acting under pressure—have continued to harass and threaten the journalist, with backing from a Magistrate Court that appeared to ignore the superior court’s ruling.

Sources alleged that the FCT Magistrate Court 6, Wuse Zone 6, Abuja, presided over by Magistrate Ekpeyong, deliberately went against a High Court order and remanded Francess in Keffi Prison.

Legal documents obtained by SaharaReporters show that a High Court in Abia State had earlier granted a restraining order prohibiting her arrest or detention over the matter. Despite this, officers from the Nigeria Police Force’s Criminal Investigation Department in Abuja reportedly continued to harass her.

The sources said Francess, as a professional journalist—not just a blogger—refused to compromise her standards. She explained that even if a refund were to be made, she had already paid others involved in the production and couldn’t return the full ₦350,000, according to sources.

However, she reportedly refunded ₦50,000.

The source stated that Sandra then began threatening her via WhatsApp, claiming she would use her connections to deal with Francess.

Meanwhile, Francess later approached the High Court to demand damages for unlawful detention, requesting ₦500 million in compensation. She also filed similar prayers in the High Court.

One of the sources said, “She was questioned by the Nigerian police because she was being threatened by Sandra Duru over a business transaction. She had prepared a jingle for Sandra, who later claimed it didn’t meet her expectations and began to threaten her.

“As a result, Francess granted an interview to clarify her side. Following that, she was invited by the National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja, where she honoured the invitation and submitted her statement.

“She was granted administrative bail around 9 p.m. on June 11, but the authorities collected her phone and password.

“She returned on June 12, and she left Abuja that same day. Unfortunately, around June 16, she was re-arrested in Umuahia by the State CID. However, after confirming she had already been to Abuja, they released her, saying it was a miscommunication, after detaining her for nearly four hours.

“The woman who reported her to the police continued bullying her on social media. Francess then wrote to the police, asking whether reporting a case to them now gave the complainant the right to harass her publicly while the matter was already with them. The police did not respond.”

A source revealed that after initially cooperating with police invitations in Abuja, a woman sought protection from the Abia State High Court, which granted an order restraining her arrest pending a court ruling.

Despite this order, police reportedly attempted to arrest her again last week. Separately, the National Cybercrime Centre filed a case against her at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the court prohibited her arrest and directed that she be served through her lawyer.

That case was adjourned to October 10, while the Umuahia case was scheduled for hearing on July 29.

However, instead of waiting for the outcomes of both court orders, the police obtained a remand order from a magistrate’s court, went to Umuahia, and picked her up.

“She spent the night at the Abia State Police Headquarters on Thursday. On Friday, they transferred her to Owerri, where she slept in a police cell. On Sunday morning, they drove her from Owerri to Abuja and detained her at the Abattoir detention facility,” a source said.

A source revealed that, on Monday, Francess was taken for an interview where she was allegedly bullied and pressured to retract an earlier interview she had granted.

Despite court orders from both courts restraining her arrest, she is currently being held at Kuje Correctional Facility. The police allegedly ignored the orders and secured a remand from a magistrate’s court instead.

Court Grants Interim Protection Against Police and Duru

In Suit No: HIN/FR158/2025, filed by Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya as the applicant, the respondents include Sandra Chidinma Duru; the Deputy Commissioner of Police, State CID Umuahia; the Commissioner of Police, Abia State; CP Uche Ifeanyi Henry, Director of the NPF National Cybercrime Centre, Abuja; the Inspector General of Police; and the Nigeria Police Force.

The court issued an interim order restraining the respondents from arresting or detaining the applicant, disclosing private content from her mobile phone, or taking any further action related to the matter pending the determination of the substantive application.

A High Court in Abia State, in Suit No: HIN//2025, granted an interim order restraining the police and other respondents from arresting or detaining Francess Olisa Ogbonnaya, or exposing the private contents of her mobile phone, pending the hearing of her substantive application for the enforcement of her fundamental rights.

The court also approved substituted service of court documents to the first respondent, Sandra Chidinma Duru, via her WhatsApp number and Facebook pages.

Ogbonnaya’s motion contends that her arrest and detention on June 2, 2025, at the National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja—allegedly instigated by Duru following an interview she granted about threats to her life—violated her constitutional rights to dignity and personal liberty.

Her legal team also argued that the confiscation of her phone and forced disclosure of her password constituted a breach of her right to privacy.

Duru, Declared Wanted for Fraud, Now Government Witness

Duru or Prof Mgbeke, who was declared wanted by a Nigerian court in 2016 over allegations of fraud and threats, has been listed as a prosecution witness in the federal government’s criminal defamation case against suspended Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Duru had previously fled Nigeria after a Lagos magistrate court issued a warrant for her arrest for failing to appear in court after being granted recognisance in a fraud case involving ₦10 million.

Despite being a fugitive with active warrants and a history of legal troubles, including charges of making death threats and character assassination, she is now expected to testify against Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan.

Senator Akpoti-Uduaghan, who the Senate suspended in March 2025 after accusing Senate President Akpabio of sexual harassment, is facing charges filed by the Nigerian government. The charges stem from her claims that Akpabio and former Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello conspired to assassinate her.

Meanwhile, whistleblower Obinna Oparaku Akuwudike remains in police detention.

He had earlier alleged that Sandra Duru paid him ₦2.5 million to produce defamatory content targeting Akpoti-Uduaghan, supposedly under Akpabio’s directive. Akuwudike later recanted, stating that the materials he was asked to create were false and part of a coordinated smear campaign.