BREAKING: Former NBA Secretary Chinedu Agu Released from Detention

In a significant development, Chinedu Agu, former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Owerri Branch, has been released from detention at the Nigerian Correctional Service facility in Owerri, Imo State. The release, confirmed by Daniel Odiba, Esq., Secretary of the NBA Owerri Branch, came after a court order was issued.

According to the statement, Agu’s release is attributed to the court’s intervention, with the NBA Owerri Branch expressing gratitude to all who supported him during his detention, particularly NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN.

Agu was detained on September 23, 2025, following Facebook posts criticizing Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma’s administration and the police’s Tiger Base Unit. He faced charges of criminal defamation, incitement, and conduct likely to cause a breach of peace.

The case has sparked widespread debate about freedom of expression and the use of criminal defamation laws in Nigeria. Prominent figures, including Senior Advocate of Nigeria Femi Falana and Professor Chidi Odinkalu, have criticized Agu’s detention, citing constitutional rights violations.