Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, on Monday granted bail in the sum of N5 million to social critic, Chidebere Justice, popularly known as Justice Crack, who is facing alleged cybercrime charges filed by the Department of State Services (DSS).
Justice Abdulmalik also ordered that the defendant provide one surety in like sum.
Justice Crack is being prosecuted over alleged cybercrime offences linked to a viral video concerning the feeding conditions of personnel of the Nigerian Army.
Proceedings on the bail application had earlier been stalled on Thursday following a dispute between two lawyers who each claimed to have been engaged to represent the defendant.
At Monday’s sitting, the Federal Government opened its case by calling its first witness, Uruntu Douglas, a DSS operative.
Douglas told the court that he obtained the defendant’s extrajudicial statement after Justice Crack was transferred from the custody of the Nigerian Army Intelligence Corps to the DSS.
According to him, the defendant made the statement voluntarily.
The witness further told the court that data extracted from the defendant’s mobile phone included photographs allegedly sent by soldiers complaining about their welfare.
He said the defendant subsequently published the materials on his social media accounts, including Instagram, Facebook, X, YouTube and TikTok.
Printouts from the social media pages were tendered and admitted in evidence.
Counsel to the defendant, however, objected to the admissibility of a flash drive and the defendant’s phone, arguing that the defence had not been furnished with the contents of the devices.
The DSS had, in charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/253/2026, arraigned Justice Crack as sole defendant over alleged circulation of false information and publication of materials capable of causing public unrest.
The prosecution alleged that the defendant published the viral video and related statements through his X handle, @JusticeCrack, claiming that Nigerian soldiers were poorly fed.
Meanwhile, a lawyer from the Federal Ministry of Justice informed the court last Thursday that the Attorney-General of the Federation had taken over the matter from the DSS in line with relevant provisions of the law.
The case was adjourned for continuation of hearing.
