Anambra State Charges Blogger Over False Reports About Soludo and Son

The Anambra State Government has charged Ejike Ofoegbu, a blogger and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and INews, for alleged criminal defamation and cybercrime. This is related to reports he published about Governor Chukwuma Soludo and his family.

This news broke on Monday when the Anambra State New Media shared a post on X.
“Ejike Ofoegbu (Experience), the Owner and publisher of Igbo Times Magazine and I News, who published fake news against Gov. Soludo’s family, arrives in Magistrate Court Amawbia, as his criminal defamation and cybercrime offence case continues,” the post said.

Ofoegbu's arraignment comes shortly after he publicly apologized and retracted several reports he admitted were lies.
PUNCH Online had reported that he confessed that many stories about Governor Soludo and his son, Ozonna, were false. He said these stories were made up to attract online readers and make money.

In a statement titled “Public Apology and Full Retraction,” Ofoegbu said the reports were not based on verified facts or any information from the governor, his family, or any official representative.
“I publicly admit that the stories I published concerning Governor Soludo and his son were completely fake, false, fabricated, and untrue. They did not come from Governor Soludo, his son, his family, or any official representative.

“They were not based on any verified facts or credible source, and they should never have been presented as news,” he said.

He also took back several viral posts. These included claims that Soludo had disowned his son and that Ozonna called his father a drunkard who abused his mother. There were also other false statements involving the governor and his family.
The blogger admitted that his reports were driven by a desire for audience engagement and financial gain. He apologized to the governor, his family, readers, and the people of Anambra State.