The Anambra State Government has arraigned blogger and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, Ejike Ofoegbu, over allegations of criminal defamation and cybercrime arising from reports published about Governor Chukwuma Soludo and members of his family.
The development was announced on Monday by the Anambra State New Media through a post shared on its official X account.
According to the post, Ofoegbu appeared before the Magistrate Court sitting in Amawbia as proceedings commenced in the case against him.
“Ejike Ofoegbu (Experience), the Owner and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and I News, who published fake news against Gov. Soludo’s family, arrives in Magistrate Court Amawbia, as his criminal defamation and cybercrime offence case continues,” the statement read.
The court appearance comes only a few days after the blogger publicly apologised to Governor Soludo and issued an unconditional retraction of several reports he admitted were fabricated.
Earlier reports indicated that Ofoegbu acknowledged publishing false stories concerning Governor Soludo and his son, Ozonna Soludo, admitting that the reports were deliberately created to attract online traffic and generate financial returns.
In a statement titled “Public Apology and Full Retraction,” the publisher accepted responsibility for the publications and admitted that the stories lacked factual basis.
According to him, none of the reports originated from Governor Soludo, his son, members of the family or any authorised representative.
“I publicly admit that the stories I published concerning Governor Soludo and his son were completely fake, false, fabricated, and untrue. They did not come from Governor Soludo, his son, his family, or any official representative.
“They were not based on any verified facts or credible source, and they should never have been presented as news,” he stated.
Ofoegbu also withdrew several widely circulated reports involving the governor and his family.
Among the stories he retracted were claims that Governor Soludo had disowned his son, allegations that Ozonna described his father as a drunkard who physically abused his mother, as well as other reports that portrayed the governor and his family in a negative light.
The publisher admitted that the stories were fabricated solely to increase audience engagement and maximise online revenue.
He expressed regret over the publications and offered an unreserved apology to Governor Soludo, his family, readers of his platforms and the people of Anambra State.
The blogger acknowledged that the reports failed to meet acceptable standards of journalism and accepted responsibility for any embarrassment or distress the publications may have caused.
The Anambra State Government has not released further details regarding the specific charges filed against Ofoegbu beyond confirming that they relate to alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime.
The matter is expected to continue before the Magistrate Court as legal proceedings progress.
