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Inside Edo
DPP clears journalist, SUBEB official in Edo forgery case
Written By: Abdullahi Izuagbe
19 Jan 2026 05:34 PM
Benin, Edo – In a major development, the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in Edo State has concluded that there is no prima facie case against journalist Emmanuel Ikhenebome and Augustine Ighodaro, an official of the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
The legal advice letter, dated October 24, 2025 (reference: 01/S.233/25/18), was issued by Kingsley Odabi Esq., Director of Public Prosecutions, and directed to the Legal Officer in Charge at the Directorate of Legal Services, Edo State Police Command.
The advise exonerates the duo along with a third individual from charges including conspiracy, forgery, cultism, and promoting armed attacks.
These allegations originated from their roles in an educational outreach program organized by the Neo-Black Movement (NBM) of Africa earlier in February 2025, which distributed learning materials to public primary schools in Ikpoba-Okha and Uhunmwode local government areas of Edo state.
The controversy began in May 2025, when authorities questioned the authenticity of an approval letter issued by SUBEB. On May 23, 2025, Ikhenebome then a journalist with Super FM Benin was arrested at the radio station by a team from the Eagle Surveillance Section led by Inspector Nosa Orumwense.
Ighodaro and another SUBEB official were also detained in connection with the issuance of the approval and appreciation letters.
After more than three weeks in police custody without formal charges, a period widely criticized as a breach of constitutional rights, the three were arraigned on June 18, 2025, before the Edo State High Court in Benin City.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olayiwola Afolabi secured their bail, though no trial date was immediately set. Instead, the defendants were directed to report to the court on the first Monday of each month from July 2025 through January 2026 to sign a register, a requirement many observers linked to delays in receiving the DPP's advice.
The exonerating legal advice, issued more than two months earlier, only became known to the accused on January 13, 2026, heightening concerns about administrative delays or possible intentional prolongation of their legal ordeal.
Critics, including civil society organizations and media advocates, have described the arrests and prolonged proceedings as a "witch-hunt" and an attempt to intimidate civic actors and the press under Governor Monday Okpebholo's administration.
They argue that the NBM's community initiative was unfairly stigmatized without solid evidence.
As of mid-January 2026, the Edo State Government has issued no public response to the DPP's findings, nor has it commented on the status of the case.
Efforts to obtain official statements have so far been unsuccessful.
Legal commentators note that, in the absence of prima facie evidence, the charges should now be formally withdrawn.
This could open the door for potential claims of wrongful arrest and detention by the affected individuals.
The case has drawn renewed attention to broader issues of press freedom, civic engagement, and the rule of law in Edo State, especially amid separate recent incidents involving police actions and public protests in the region.
While the DPP's advice represents a significant step toward resolution, stakeholders continue to demand greater transparency and accountability to rebuild public confidence in the justice system.
The legal advice letter, dated October 24, 2025 (reference: 01/S.233/25/18), was issued by Kingsley Odabi Esq., Director of Public Prosecutions, and directed to the Legal Officer in Charge at the Directorate of Legal Services, Edo State Police Command.
The advise exonerates the duo along with a third individual from charges including conspiracy, forgery, cultism, and promoting armed attacks.
These allegations originated from their roles in an educational outreach program organized by the Neo-Black Movement (NBM) of Africa earlier in February 2025, which distributed learning materials to public primary schools in Ikpoba-Okha and Uhunmwode local government areas of Edo state.
The controversy began in May 2025, when authorities questioned the authenticity of an approval letter issued by SUBEB. On May 23, 2025, Ikhenebome then a journalist with Super FM Benin was arrested at the radio station by a team from the Eagle Surveillance Section led by Inspector Nosa Orumwense.
Ighodaro and another SUBEB official were also detained in connection with the issuance of the approval and appreciation letters.
After more than three weeks in police custody without formal charges, a period widely criticized as a breach of constitutional rights, the three were arraigned on June 18, 2025, before the Edo State High Court in Benin City.
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Olayiwola Afolabi secured their bail, though no trial date was immediately set. Instead, the defendants were directed to report to the court on the first Monday of each month from July 2025 through January 2026 to sign a register, a requirement many observers linked to delays in receiving the DPP's advice.
The exonerating legal advice, issued more than two months earlier, only became known to the accused on January 13, 2026, heightening concerns about administrative delays or possible intentional prolongation of their legal ordeal.
Critics, including civil society organizations and media advocates, have described the arrests and prolonged proceedings as a "witch-hunt" and an attempt to intimidate civic actors and the press under Governor Monday Okpebholo's administration.
They argue that the NBM's community initiative was unfairly stigmatized without solid evidence.
As of mid-January 2026, the Edo State Government has issued no public response to the DPP's findings, nor has it commented on the status of the case.
Efforts to obtain official statements have so far been unsuccessful.
Legal commentators note that, in the absence of prima facie evidence, the charges should now be formally withdrawn.
This could open the door for potential claims of wrongful arrest and detention by the affected individuals.
The case has drawn renewed attention to broader issues of press freedom, civic engagement, and the rule of law in Edo State, especially amid separate recent incidents involving police actions and public protests in the region.
While the DPP's advice represents a significant step toward resolution, stakeholders continue to demand greater transparency and accountability to rebuild public confidence in the justice system.
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