Abuja Court Orders DSS to Keep Ex-NBA Shendam Chairman Till August 20

A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the remand of former Chairman of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Shendam Branch in Plateau State, Gabriel Nkup Tsenyen, in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Justice Abdulmalik made the order on Friday after the DSS brought a fresh two-count charge against the lawyer, alleging cyberstalking and incitement.

Tsenyen, who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Plateau State, is to remain in DSS custody pending August 20, when the court will consider whether the fresh arraignment is proper.

The development followed an objection by Tsenyen’s lead counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Emmanuel Esene, shortly after the lawyer was brought before the court to enter his plea.

Esene argued that his client had already been arraigned before the same Federal High Court on allegations arising from the same circumstances and that the earlier case had been adjourned until September 28 for trial.

The defence counsel expressed concern that proceeding with the fresh charge could expose his client to double jeopardy.

Counsel representing the DSS, Muinat Oladunjoye, from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, however, told the court that the prosecution was not aware of any previous charge against the defendant.

Following the conflicting claims, Justice Abdulmalik requested a copy of the earlier charge. The document was subsequently tendered by Esene.

The judge also requested the record of proceedings from the earlier case to establish whether Tsenyen had previously been arraigned on the same allegations. The defence, however, said it could not immediately produce the record because the new charge had come as a surprise.

Justice Abdulmalik consequently adjourned the matter until August 20 for the relevant court records to be produced and examined.

Pending the determination of the issue, the court ordered that Tsenyen remain in DSS custody.

The fresh charges accuse the lawyer of allegedly posting a malicious message on the Ngootuguut local community WhatsApp platform in May 2026.

In the first count, the prosecution alleged that Tsenyen falsely claimed that the entire Ngootuguut community was involved in a plot to eliminate him, with the alleged publication intended to cause annoyance, intimidation, hatred, ill will and anxiety.

The prosecution said the alleged conduct contravened Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes (Prevention, Prohibition, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended.

The second count alleges that the same publication was made with the intention of inciting or causing a breach of public peace, contrary to Section 114 of the Penal Code Act.

The charges were filed by Rotimi Iseoluwa Oyedepo, Director of Public Prosecutions of the Federation.

Tsenyen has not been convicted of the allegations, and the court is yet to determine whether the fresh charges can properly proceed in light of the earlier case cited by the defence.