DSS Arraigns Teenage Girl Over Nude Video Post

For circulating nude video of a retired Permanent Secretary in Bayelsa State on social media, the Department of State Services (DSS) has dragged a teenage girl before the Federal High Court sitting in Yenagoa, the State capital.

Arraigning the accused person in a one-count charge on Monday, October 18, 2021, the prosecuting counsel, Mr Victor Uchendu, told the court that the girl engaged in cyber-stalking; specifically, by circulating the retiree’s nude picture on a WhatsApp group.

Furthermore, counsel to the DSS accused the teenager of blackmail, adding that the nude pictures of the retired permanent secretary were circulated on other social media platforms following an unsuccessful attempt to extort N15 million from him.

Mr Uchendu said the accused produced and circulated nude images of the retired permanent secretary on social media with dubious intent.

According to him, the act was carried out on Tuesday September 14, noting that this was in contravention of the Cybercrimes Prohibition Act of 2015.

However, the teenage girl pleaded not guilty to the charges with her counsel, Andrew Arthur, applying that the Court should grant her bail from DSS custody where she had been kept for about 13 days.

Arguing the bail application, Arthur told the court that the defendant had earlier been arraigned for criminal defamation on the same offence and granted bail by a Bayelsa High Court.

He said that the DSS regrettably declined to release her on bail; adding that he chose to approach the Federal High Court to institute a fresh charge.

Opposing the bail application, Uchendu said the bail document was served on him in the courtroom; noting that he needed time to study it to respond to issues raised therein.

The trial judge, Justice I. H. Ndahen, ordered the teenager to be remanded at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Yenagoa until Thursday October 21, 2021 to hear the bail application.