The Federal High Court in Abuja has remanded Arinze Nwogba in prison over alleged impersonation of the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof Segun Aina, of computer engineering who was appinted by President Bola Tinubu in May, succeeding Prof Is-haq Oloyede, who served as registrar for 10 years.
Penpushing reports that Judge Salim Ibrahim on Friday ordered Nwogba’s remand in Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, Federal Capital Territory(FCT) pending ruling on the defendant’s bail application, and fixed October 7,2026 for the ruling and adjourned the case until October 19, 2026 for commencement of trial.
The Nigerian police charged Nwogba with six counts, accusing him and others still at large of impersonating Aina and used his name and photograph on WhatsApp and Truecaller, while the prosecution alleged that Nwogba used telephone number 08139433155 to impersonate the registrar with the intention of gaining financial advantage.
Penpushing further reports that the alleged offences contravene Section 22(3)(a), (b) and (4) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, however,the defendant denied the charges, pleading not guilty.
The defendant after he entered his plea, police lawyer Nonso Eleodimuo asked the court to fix a date for trial, while the defence lawyer Christian Ejike did not oppose the request for a trial date but informed the court that he had filed a bail application on September 23, 2026.
Penpushing also reports that Ejike said the prosecution had been served and had responded to the bail application, while police lawyer confirmed receipt of the application and told the court that the prosecution had filed and served a counter-affidavit dated October 2, 2026.
The defence lawyer, tereafter moved the bail application, and urged the court to grant Nwogba bail on liberal terms, but Eleodimuo urged the court to dismiss the application, while, a clerk at the Directorate of Legal Services, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Gregory Woje who swore to the counter-affidavt filed in opposition to the bail application that the police, described the major planks of the defendant’s application as speculative and extraneous to the case.
Penpushing reports that Woje told the court that if granted bail, Nwogba was likely to evade justice and might not appear for trial, arguing that the conditions of bail were within the discretion of the court and not for the defendant to determine.
“Assuming the court is minded to grant bail, it is for the court to do so considering the punishment upon conviction and upon terms that will ensure the defendant/applicant attend his trial’, Woje wrote.
Penpushing further reports that he said the police were ready to prosecute the case expeditiously as all the exhibits and witnesses are ready for the trial, arguing that if Nwogba was granted bail and absconded, it would affect the proceedings and prejudice the prosecution.
The case summary filed by the prosecution, explained that the charges stemmed from theJoint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) registrar’s petition to the Inspector-General of Police, adding that in the petition suspicions activities of suspected criminal gangs who allegedly registered and used telephone number 08139433155 as well as his name and photographs without his knowledge or authority.
Penpushing also reports that the police alleged that the suspects used the registrar’s identity to deceive members of the public, stressing that they equally published the telephone number on LinkedIn and directed members of the public to contact them through WhatsApp.
The police stated that investigators subsequently engaged the suspects through the WhatsApp number which had Aina’s image as the profile picture, also said the Truecaller profile of the number had Aina’s image, while the Whatsapp number, was advertised on LinkedIn as the suspects offered unsuspecting members of the public phoney contracts.
Penpushing reports tha the prosecution alleged that the suspect claimed to have obtained approval from the Minister of Education for the supply of 200 HP laptops as part of the ministry’s digitisation programme, stressing that the suspect also provided the contact of a purported personal assistant, identified as Dr Stephen Igwe, who would allegedly handle arrangements for the contract.
The prosecution alleged that the suspect directed the payment of N900,000 as a “handshake” and demanded another N3 million for the Permanent Secretary and Minister of Education, and that an Access Bank account bearing the name Edeh Chimezie Benedict was provided for the payment.
Penpushing further reports that the prosecution stated that Nwogba, whose operational name was allegedly Dr Stephen Igwe, was subsequently arrested in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, adding that he told investigators that the account details belonged to his late nephew, who died in April 2026 and was buried on July 31, 2026.
The police alleged that he admitted forwarding the account details to his cousin, Nnabuife Nwekpa of Onitsha, Anambra State, for use in the alleged fraudulent activity, stating that Nwekpa, whom they identified as the alleged fake registrar, was still at large and that efforts were ongoing to arrest him.
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