Police Set N2bn Bail For TikToker Detained Over Cyberbullying, Sparking Outrage
The Nigeria Police Force has set a controversial bail condition of ₦2 billion for Destiny Ekhorutomuen, a TikToker accused of cyberbullying and cyberstalking. The terms, shared online by former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore, have been widely criticized by lawyers as “outrageous” and “unreasonable.”
According to the administrative bail document, Ekhorutomuen must provide four sureties, including two Federal Government workers on Level 16 with Abuja properties valued at ₦500 million each, and two businessmen with similar property holdings and proof of business ownership.
Ekhorutomuen was arrested in Uhunmwonde Local Government Area of Edo State for allegedly using multiple social media accounts to spread “false and inciting content” against the Nigeria Police. Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi confirmed the arrest in a statement on Wednesday, accusing Ekhorutomuen of cyberstalking and cyberbullying.
Critics, including Sowore, labeled the conditions as “ridiculous,” while lawyers described them as a deliberate tactic to keep Ekhorutomuen in detention.
“That administrative bail condition is outrageous,” said lawyer Kelechukwu Uzoka. “The police know what they are doing. When they don’t want you out, they impose conditions like this.” Uzoka noted such stringent terms are typically reserved for capital offences.
Human rights lawyer Ridwan Oke added, “Whenever police give this kind of condition, it’s because they don’t want to release the person or expect them to negotiate or yield to their plans. Even a court would not demand such stringent conditions.”
Past analyses of similar bail conditions highlight the impracticality for civil servants or businesspeople to meet such requirements. An FIJ investigation in 2024 showed that even a Level 17 civil servant, after 35 years of service, would only have accumulated ₦217.5 million—far below the ₦500 million required to meet the bail conditions.
The case has reignited calls for police reform and a review of bail practices. Critics argue that such conditions undermine the principle of fair treatment and raise concerns about the misuse of administrative bail to suppress dissent and criticism.
Ekhorutomuen remains in detention as legal experts and human rights advocates continue to decry the excessive bail conditions imposed on him.
