Esther Salifu
The daughter of prominent businessman and ABC Transport founder, Frank Nneji, has been declared wanted by the Nigeria Police Force over alleged cybercrime offences.
The offenses include criminal defamation, injurious falsehood, and cyberstalking.
The National Cybercrime Center of the Nigeria Police (NPF-NCC) released a statement Tuesday night naming Ihuoma Julia Nneji as a suspect in a case involving alleged cyberbullying and blackmail. The declaration, shared via the police’s official Facebook page, marks a high-profile escalation in the nation’s clampdown on digital misconduct particularly when public figures or their relatives are involved.
According to preliminary findings, Miss Nneji is accused of leading a targeted campaign against an Abuja-based businessman between August and September 2024. Though the alleged victim remains unnamed, sources claim the online attacks were strategic and possibly coordinated, involving defamatory content and threats.
Sources close to the case allege that it stems from a failed relationship with the Abuja-based businessman. After he called off their wedding due to interference from her family, Ihuoma allegedly launched a coordinated online smear campaign, falsely accusing him of being homosexual and paying blogs to spread the defamatory content. The attacks reportedly damaged his reputation and business, leading to the cybercrime charges now filed against her.
The case garnered further public interest after social media commentator Martins Vincent Otse widely known as VeryDarkMan (VDM) ,entered the fray. In a viral video on September 24, 2024, VDM issued a 24-hour ultimatum to Miss Nneji, demanding she retract her statements and issue an apology.
“You have 24 hours to take down the defamatory content and tender an apology. If you don’t, I will come out with all the evidence and make sure the truth comes to light,” VDM stated in the video, intensifying public attention on the case.
The Nneji family, including the accused, has yet to issue a formal response. Meanwhile, police authorities have urged citizens with any knowledge of her whereabouts to contact the National Cybercrime Center in Abuja or report to the nearest police station.
