PORT HARCOURT — The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has fixed September 3, 2026, for hearing of the bail application filed by Ogoni activist and Leader/Spokesman of the Conscience of Ogoni People, Chief Gani Topba, who is facing terrorism and other criminal charges.
Topba was arraigned on a four-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism, seizure and detention of oil wells in Ogoniland, cybercrime and related offences.
The activist, who is also a participant in the dialogue between the Ogoni people and the Federal Government over the proposed resumption of oil exploration in the area, pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The prosecution alleged that Topba insisted on the seizure and detention of all oil wells in Ogoniland in an attempt to compel the Federal Government to exclude Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, now known as Renaissance Africa Energy Company Limited, and its affiliates from oil-related contracts in the area.
He was also accused of indirectly supporting terrorism through the production and publication of a video allegedly targeted at the leadership of KAGOTE, the sociocultural organisation representing the four traditional divisions of Ogoniland.
According to the prosecution, the video was allegedly intended to destabilise the political, economic and social structures of Ogoniland, Rivers State and Nigeria and trigger a recurrence of the crisis that rocked Ogoniland in 1994.
In another count, Topba was accused of intentionally producing and publishing a video through a computer system or network to bully or harass the President-General of KAGOTE, Lesi Maoi, and other leaders of the organisation.
The prosecution alleged that the communication caused the complainants to fear death or bodily harm, constituting an offence under Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.
At the resumed proceedings, counsel to the Department of State Services (DSS), A. A. Emefiana, sought an adjournment to enable the prosecution respond to the defendant’s bail application filed by his lawyer, Golden Awi.
Awi did not object to the request but complained that he had encountered difficulties gaining access to his client.
Justice Mohammed Turaki subsequently directed the DSS counsel to resolve the access issue with the defence before adjourning the case to September 3 for hearing of the bail application and further proceedings.
Speaking with journalists after the court session, Awi described the charges against his client as “frivolous.”
The DSS counsel declined to comment on the proceedings.
