After being arrested on March 18th over allegations of cyberstalking, social media influencer Chude Nnamdi has been released from police custody. Although Chude was taken to Abuja, the Nigerian capital, from Anambra state, where he was initially arrested, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) later confirmed that he was arrested for alleged cyberstalking.
Chude’s arrest drew criticism on social media, with some Twitter users claiming that Anambra Governor Chukwuma Soludo was behind the arrest. However, Soludo denied the allegations, stating that the state government had no involvement in the matter.
On Tuesday, Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), called for the release of Chude. Hours after his release on Friday, Chude took to Twitter to express gratitude to those who supported him while he was in custody.
In a series of tweets, Chude recounted his experience in police custody, stating that his detention was “unpalatable, unpleasant and unjust.” He explained that he was accused of planning to overthrow the government and that he was manhandled upon arrival at Awkuzu Sars. He went on to suggest that the Nigerian police needed to be insulated from political interference and called for greater independence for the institution.
Chude also posted a video on his Twitter account, apologizing to Emeka Offor, the chairperson of Chrome Group, for a tweet he had made about him. He clarified that the tweet was unverified and was not intended to malign Offor. However, the video was deleted shortly after its publication.