Chidi Odinkalu Slams GTBank for Allegedly Using Police to Silence Bloggers

Chidi Odinkalu, a well-known Nigerian human rights advocate, has accused Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) of using its financial resources to target and intimidate bloggers critical of the bank. In a series of tweets on December 28, 2024, Odinkalu revealed that since September 19, 2024, GTBank had been working with the Nigerian Police Force to detain two bloggers, Precious Eze and Olawale Olurotimi, on charges of cyberbullying and conspiracy.

Odinkalu claims that the bloggers have been held in custody for over three months, far beyond the time allowed for pre-trial detention under Nigerian law. He alleges that the bank’s lawyers filed a petition with claims of cyberbullying and criminal extortion against the bloggers, but failed to provide substantial evidence to support these accusations.

In the wake of the arrests, Odinkalu also criticized the swift police investigation led by Chief Superintendent of Police Michael Abu, which reportedly branded the bloggers as “scapegoats.” The human rights advocate denounced GTBank’s apparent use of its financial power to suppress free speech and create a “chilling effect” on public discourse.

Odinkalu urged Nigerians to reconsider their support for the bank, calling for the immediate release of the detained bloggers and an end to what he described as a pattern of oppression against free expression.