Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has condemned the remand of Nollywood actress Doris Ogala at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre, accusing authorities of using the Cybercrimes Act to intimidate individuals in disputes involving influential personalities.
Ogala, who is also the AAC governorship candidate in Abia State, was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday over allegations of cyberstalking, cyberbullying and attempted extortion involving Pastor Chris Okafor.
Justice Akintayo Aluko ordered her remand pending the hearing and determination of her bail application, which was adjourned until Friday, October 30, 2026.
Reacting to the development in a Facebook post, Sowore questioned the decision to prosecute Ogala, arguing that private disputes should not be turned into criminal cases.
He accused the Nigeria Police Force of weaponising the Cybercrimes Act and questioned the circumstances surrounding the prosecution, particularly allegations linked to a relationship between the actress and the cleric.
“The Nigeria Police Force has no business turning private relationships into criminal prosecutions or deploying the Cybercrimes Act as a weapon of intimidation,” Sowore said.
He further warned against the use of law enforcement agencies and the judiciary to settle personal disputes or protect influential religious figures.
Sowore maintained that Ogala was entitled to constitutional protection, due process and a fair hearing, urging the police to refrain from criminalising private disputes.
“The police must stop criminalizing private disputes, and the judiciary must never become an instrument of religious influence or personal vendettas. This abuse must end!” he added.
Ogala is facing three charges filed by the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
During Wednesday’s proceedings, prosecution counsel Tolulope Mokolu alleged that the actress published intimate photographs of Okafor without his consent between September 2024 and March 2026.
The prosecution also accused her of circulating electronic messages allegedly containing false information and threatening to publish additional material unless the cleric compensated her or bought her a house.
Ogala pleaded not guilty to all three charges.
Her lawyer, N. C. Atulomah, urged the court to grant her bail, assuring the judge that she would attend subsequent proceedings.
However, the prosecution opposed her immediate release, arguing that it needed more time to study the bail application and file a response.
Justice Aluko ordered an accelerated hearing of the application but directed that Ogala remain in custody pending its determination.
The court adjourned the matter until October 30, 2026, for the hearing of her bail application.
The allegations against Ogala remain before the court, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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