Court Remands Ex-NBA Chairman in DSS Custody

The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered that former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association, Shendam branch, Plateau State, Gabriel Nkup Tsenyen, be remanded in the custody of the Department of State Services pending a decision on his proposed fresh arraignment.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik fixed August 20 to determine whether Tsenyen, an All Progressives Congress chieftain in Plateau State, can be tried again over allegations of cyberstalking and incitement of public disturbances.

The development followed an attempt by the DSS to arraign the lawyer on a fresh two-count charge bordering on cyberstalking and alleged incitement to breach public peace.

However, after Tsenyen was called into the dock to take his plea, his lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Emmanuel Esene, objected to the proceedings.

Esene argued that his client had previously been arraigned before the same court over the same allegations and that the earlier case had already been adjourned until September 28 for trial.

He urged the court to reject the fresh arraignment, arguing that proceeding with another trial could amount to double jeopardy.

Counsel representing the DSS, Muinat Oladunjoye, said she was unaware of any previous charge against Tsenyen.

Following the conflicting claims, Justice Abdulmalik directed the defence to produce a copy of the earlier charge. Esene subsequently presented the document to the court.

The judge then requested the record of proceedings in the earlier case to establish whether Tsenyen had indeed been arraigned over the same allegations.

The defence said it could not immediately produce the record because the fresh charge had come as a surprise on Thursday.

Justice Abdulmalik consequently ordered that the earlier proceedings be produced on August 20 and directed that Tsenyen remain in DSS custody pending the determination.

The fresh charges were filed by the Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation, Rotimi Iseoluwa Oyedepo.

In the first count, the prosecution alleged that Tsenyen made a malicious publication on the Ngootuguut local community WhatsApp platform in May 2026, claiming that the community was plotting to eliminate him.

The prosecution alleged that he knew the publication was false and intended it to cause annoyance, intimidation, hatred, ill will and anxiety.

The second count accused him of sending the publication with intent to incite or cause a breach of public peace.

The alleged offences were brought under the Cybercrimes Act and the Penal Code Act.

The court is expected to determine on August 20 whether the fresh charges concern allegations for which Tsenyen had previously been arraigned and whether a fresh trial is legally permissible.