Other journalists detained alongside Odunlani (website administrator, www.newsjaunts.com), are Precious Eze (Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, News Platform), Olawale Rotimi (Managing Director, National Monitor), Rowland Olonishuwa (Editor, News Hob Mag!).
A civic organisation, Global Integrity Crusade Network (GICN), has condemned the continued detention of Seun Odunlami and three other journalists held in detention in Lagos over alleged cyberstalking and false publications against the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Guaranty Trust Holding Company PLC, Segun Agbaje.
Other journalists detained alongside Odunlani (website administrator, www.newsjaunts.com), are Precious Eze (Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, News Platform), Olawale Rotimi (Managing Director, National Monitor), Rowland Olonishuwa (Editor, News Hob Mag!).
The journalists face two counts amended charges bordering on cyberstalking and disseminating false information brought against them by officers from the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU) in Ikoyi, Lagos.
They face allegations of intentionally spreading falsehoods on social media, including claims that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission raided GTBank due to Segun Agbaje's involvement in a N1 trillion scam, and that whistleblowers exposed Agbaje's nepotism, abuse of power, and self-enrichment, as well as that of his sister, Kofo Dosekunni.
According to the prosecution, the publications aimed to insult, intimidate, or cause harm, ill-will, or unwarranted distress to Mr. Agbaje.
The GICN in a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Publicity and Mobilization, Amb. Adebayo Lion Ogorry, said in Nigeria, “GTB featured prominently among the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) indicted in the Report of the Special Investigation on Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Related Entities (Chargeable Offences) which was submitted by Jim Obazee and his team to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on 22 December, 2023.
“Part of the said Report indicted GTB for unlawfully diverting funds being a percentage of the total disbursements paid to it for participating in the Nigerian Electricity Market Stabilization Facility (NEMSF).
“The fees were paid to the Banks in the ratio of their contributions to the NEMSF disbursement, according to External Auditor's Notes to the Financial Statement of NESI Stabilization Strategy Limited.”
Ogorry further said, “We have received complaints from many Nigerians that GTB has been trapping and diverting foreign currencies sent from their Intermediary Banks in Germany, UK, Switzerland and Ghana.
“In most cases, GTB forms a syndicate that would threaten the recipients of such funds that the anti-graft agencies have flagged same as proceeds of Money Laundering or Internet Fraud, even when that is not the truth.