Detained Whistleblower Bristol Isaac Denies Links to PIDOMNigeria, Refutes Fraud Allegations in Police Custody
The detained prominent Nigerian whistleblower, Bristol Isaac, has denied being PIDOMNigeria or having any connection with PIDOMNigeria or 99% OPPRESSED X (formerly Twitter) account.
Isaac who made this in his statement at the Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Center (NPF-NCCC), Abuja where he is being detained, also denied ever being involved in any form of internet fraud as alleged against him by the Nigeria Police Force.
Isaac, who the Nigerian authorities levied a nine-count charge against, alleging that he illegally mobilised support from Nigerian citizens to participate in the recent nationwide hunger protests, also accused officers of the Nigeria Police Force who arrested him in Osmosis Hotel in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, of stealing some of his properties including his small jotter.
Part of Isaac’s statement read, “My present sources of income are betting and crypto. I have my crypto account with Trust Wallet and Binance Exchange.
“My bank accounts are: First Bank – 3069007043 with account name as Bristol Isaac Tamundibifiri; Access Bank – 1807677192 with account name as Iaac Bristol Tamundibifiri; OPay – 8039366740 with the account name as Bristol Isaac.
“I have no other bank account in Nigeria or any other country. I do not know any name called PIDOMNIGERIA and as such, I do not have any association or connection whatsoever with the aforementioned name.
“Also, I do not know any name called TRUTHFULLY 83 and as such, I do not have any connection or association whatsoever with the name. I know nothing about (a) the creation of a Twitter account called 99% OPPRESSED.
“In other words, I am not in any way Involved in membership of the aforementioned Twitter account. I used Zico Mento to register a WhatsApp account using 09090447445. This phone number is not registered in my name. I bought the SIM card from a random person whom I cannot remember at the moment.
“According to my previous statement about the number 09090447445, I wish to state that I used this number for internet services, WhatsApp and calls, but the number was registered on True Caller as Zico Mento by someone I do not know, but my nickname is Zico, which I use in most of my username online.
“I bought this SIM card because of a network challenge I was having on my MTN line. I did not register the SIM card because it was already in use by the person I bought it from. I bought the SIM card sometime between 2020 and 2021.
“I gave the person N300 to go and buy a new SIM card for herself. I used the SIM card for about 2 years between 2020 and 2022. I trade on crypto. I trade on USDT on the Trust Wallet platform. Someone taught me how to trade on crypto in Lagos.
“My Wallet address, email Loggings and recovery phrase were written down on a small jotter, which I cannot find anymore because it was stolen by the police that came to arrest me.
“I knew that the police stole those things because they were the last people that encountered me and parked my property from the hotel room where I was arrested.
“I did not resist the arrest. I destroyed my phone because the police that arrested me dressed like kidnappers; they were not wearing uniforms. I was arrested in Osmosis Hotel, Port Harcourt. They did not introduce themselves as police officers.
“I have not used my crypto currency dealings for any illicit activity to the best of my knowledge. I basically transact my crypto trade online. I do not know the people I transact with physically. I do my crypto transactions basically on Telegram.
“The few individuals I have dealt with, I did not bother about KYC. I do not know any Alade Michael. I cannot remember doing any transaction with Alade Michael. I do not have any foreign phone number. I do not have any WhatsApp that is registered with a foreign phone number.”
court document outlining the nine counts on Monday, shedding light on the specifics of the allegations levelled against Mr. Bristol.
This development marks a significant escalation in the government’s response to the recent 10-day #EndBadGovernance protests and PIDOMNigeria’s role in shaping public discourse.
The suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/456/2024 and filed on September 2, 2024, at the Federal High Court, Abuja Judicial Division is between the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun as the Complaint and Bristol Isaac Tamunobifiri as the Defendant.
The charges were filed by Simon Lough (SAN), who led a team of police lawyers on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Egbetokun.
Other offences Bristol was accused of include allegations that he transmitted a classified document of the Federal Government of Nigeria, concealing money received through cryptocurrency and destroying his mobile phone – Tecno Phantom X 2021 model and attempting to flush same down the toilet of the hotel where he was arrested with the intention of preventing it from being used as evidence against him.
