The Federal High Court in Owerri, Imo State, has denied an uncontested application for bail for lawyer and former Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Owerri Branch, Chinedu Agu, who has been in detention since September 23, 2025.

The decision was delivered by Justice Chituru Wigwe-Oreh during proceedings at the court earlier today. The judge cited the absence of any formal charge against Agu as the basis for denying the bail application, prompting reactions from legal observers questioning the handling of the matter.

Yesterday, the court had adjourned proceedings in the bail application to allow submissions on the competence of the bail request. The ruling, initially postponed to October 14, was not ready for delivery, and the court requested Agu’s legal team to submit a written address addressing the application’s competence given the absence of pending charges.

Following today’s ruling, the court plans to allow the prosecution to respond to the written address before scheduling another adjournment for the eventual determination of the bail application. Agu has now been held for 18 days at the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) facility in Owerri.

The case originates from alleged violations under the Cybercrime Act, including criminal defamation, incitement, and conduct likely to cause a breach of the peace, stemming from social media posts in which Agu criticized the administration of Governor Hope Uzodinma and the operations of the state police. Agu has pleaded not guilty, and his defense team continues to challenge the legality of his detention.

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