ILLEGAL ARREST AND DETENTION OF TIKTOKER SEAKING: WE WILL SUE PASTOR ADEBOYE AND RCCG IF THEY FAIL TO RETRACT THEIR PRESS STATEMENT WITHIN 24 HOURS We can confirm that our client Mr. Olumide John Ogunsanwo alias @seaking303 has been released on administrative bail by the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja. Recall that Seaking was rearrested after his appearance at the Magistrate Court, Ogba, Lagos on Thursday, 6th February, 2025 and flown to Abuja at the instance of the Cybercrimes Unit of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID). We are particularly grateful to Comrade @YeleSowore for his spirited efforts, and for taking our client on administrative bail. We also appreciate our learned colleagues in Abuja, namely: Abubakar Marshal, Tope Tomekun and @adeyanjudeji for their solidarity. In the meantime, our attention has been drawn to a provocative public statement issued by the public relations unit of the @rccghq on this case. The Church in the statement conceded that Pastor Adeboye is not behind the petition that led to the arrest of Seaking, but it nonetheless suggested that the law should take its course based on a petition written by a certain busybody named James Paul Adama masquerading under the name of “Concerned Christian Youth Forum”. The Church stated that the petition was written by the forum “on behalf of the Fathers of Faith, including Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye”. To be clear, purported injuries suffered as a result of any act of alleged cyberstalking or alleged defamation are personal in law and not transferable. Pastor Adeboye cannot be the victim of alleged cyberstalking or defamation, while another person pretends to act as the complainant. It should also be stated that mere vulgar abuse or ‘insults’ are not criminal offences in Nigeria. Mere vulgar abuse is neither defamatory nor cyberstalking. Cyberstalking and defamation cannot be pursued through proxies. Since Pastor Enoch Adeboye had initially distanced himself from the matter, we had decided not to join him and the Church as respondents in any fundamental rights enforcement suit. We do not know what motivated the capitulation by the Church, as evidenced by the eccentric statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of the RCCG. It is pertinent to state that the fundamental rights of Olumide Ogunsanwo have already been breached, as he was detained beyond the permissible constitutional timeline, and without legally tenable grounds. Since the RCCG has decided to associate itself with the busybody petitioner and to drag Pastor Enoch Adeboye into the pit of illegality dug by the police and the busybody complainant, they must understand the legal implications. We are now left with no choice but to join Pastor Enoch Adeboye as a party to any action we would be filing for the enforcement of the fundamental rights of Seaking. This capitulation may also entail Pastor Adeboye having to personally testify in court in any criminal charge brought by the police, and him being subjected to cross examination. We demand that Pastor Adeboye and the RCCG should retract their statement within the next 24 hours if they want to avoid being made parties to the legal proceedings. It is important for Pastors and Christian leaders in our country to live by the true tenets of Christianity. Pastors who resort to weaponizing the police to witch-hunt those who speak against them stand the risk of having their calling questioned. Vengeance should be of the Lord as admonished in the Bible, not of the Police. However, where a pastor is determined to pursue an eye for an eye, he or she must be careful not to overreach his critic, abuser or adversary, and must be mindful not to violate the due process of law while seeking redress from earthly institutions. Our next line of action will be communicated. Inibehe Effiong Lead Counsel 10/02/2025.