Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has criticised the Nigeria Police Force over the arrest of three individuals linked to a social media report alleging that United Bank for Africa Chairman Tony Elumelu divorced his wife.
In a post on Facebook on Monday, Sowore described the arrests as unnecessary, arguing that reporting on the private life of a public figure does not amount to a criminal offence.
He urged the police to release the detained individuals, insisting that the matter falls under civil defamation rather than criminal law.
“We must continue to remind the Nigeria Police Force that it is not a criminal offence warranting arrest or detention for bloggers to report that Tony Elumelu has reportedly divorced his wife,” he wrote.
He called for the release of Kingsley Akunemeihe, Chigozie Success Ihebom, and John Surpruchi Nwanorue.
UBA Rejects Divorce Claims
The controversy began after a viral social media post alleged that Elumelu had separated from his wife, Awele Elumelu.
In response, UBA dismissed the report as false, describing it as “fabricated, reckless, and malicious”.
In a statement signed by the bank’s Group Head of Brand, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, the institution said the publication was intended to mislead the public and damage reputations.
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“The attention of UBA Group has been drawn to a false, defamatory and malicious publication circulating on social media alleging that the Group Chairman has divorced his wife,” the statement said.
Police Action and Arrests
UBA confirmed that it had reported the matter to law enforcement authorities, which led to the arrest of three persons allegedly linked to the creation and spread of the story.
According to the bank, the individuals were being investigated for their role in disseminating what it described as false information.
The bank also warned individuals and platforms sharing the content to take it down and preserve related materials for possible legal action.
It added that failure to comply could attract both civil and criminal consequences.
Rafiyat Sadiq is a political, justice, and human rights reporter with Pinnacle Daily, known for fearless reporting and impactful storytelling. At Pinnacle Daily, she brings clarity and depth to issues shaping governance, democracy, and the protection of citizens’ rights.