The Nigeria Police Force freed a popular TikToker, Olumide Ogunsanwo, also known as Seaking, on administrative bail on Monday, over alleged defamation and cyber bullying of the General Overseer of Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor E.A Adeboye.
SeaKing was arrested on February 6 at the Ogba Magistrate Court in Lagos where he was being tried for another case of cyberbullying against the Nigeria Police, in connection to a TikTok video he made in December 2024 where he challenged Pastor Adeboye’s call for Nigerians to fast for 100 days. The TikTok creator described the RCCG’s pastor’s instruction as “stupid.”
Read also: 76,000 women to partake in Pastor Adeboye’s tech program to boost gender inclusion
His viral video led to a petition submitted to the Lagos State Police Command by a religious group called the Concerned Christian Youth Forum who were incensed by the post.
Seaking had previously chafed at the clergyman for not condemning President Bola Tinubu’s administration even in the face of economic hardship and skyrocketing inflation.
Seaking parrots false accusations
The Tiktoker suggested Pastor Adeboye was doing eye service, falsely recounting how the clergyman protested against hardship under former Goodluck Jonathan but was keeping mum under President Tinubu.
Checks by Techpression showed that SeaKing’s accusations were false as Pastor Adeboye’s prayer walk against the insecurity crisis was under immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari in February 2020.
The pictures that Seaking posted on his TikTok account falsely implied Pastor Adeboye and his church members protested under Jonathan but in actual fact, they were
obtained from the RCCG 2020 prayer walk during Buhari’s administration —one which SeaKing’s legal counsel Deji Adeyanju reposted back in 2020.
RCCG backs SeaKing’s investigation
The Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) asked the police to investigate Seaking, saying the church will not interfere with the law to ensure justice was served over the alleged defamatory remarks.
The latest statement contradicted Pastor Adeboye’s stance on the matter which advocated for the TikToker’s release
during the church’s Holy Ghost service night on Saturday, asserting that he was not aware of the occurrence or the people responsible for his arrest.
The statement said that the petition was submitted “on behalf of the Fathers of Faith, including Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.”
The statement reads, “Upon careful review of the concerns raised regarding certain statements and allegations, it has become necessary to allow the law to take its course. It is important to properly understand Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye’s statement during the Holy Ghost Service Night on Saturday regarding Olumide Ogunsanwo (SeaKing).”
“The church does not intend to interfere with the ongoing police investigation, especially since an official complaint was filed by the Concerned Christian Youth Forum against Olumide Ogunsanwo John (SeaKing) and others on behalf of the Fathers of Faith, including Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye.”
“Therefore, we trust that the relevant authorities will carry out their investigations professionally and reach a just conclusion based on the law. While Pastor Enoch Adejare Adeboye maintains a heart of love and reconciliation, due process must be followed,” the statement adds.
TikToker SeaKing’s lawyer threatens to sue Adeboye
The church’s position was swiftly denounced by SeaKing’s lawyer, Inibehe Effiiong, who immediately threatened to sue Pastor Adeboye if the message was not taken down within 24 hours.
Effiong said, “Since Pastor Enoch Adeboye had initially distanced himself from the matter, we had decided not to join him and the church as respondents in any fundamental rights enforcement suit. We do not know what motivated the church’s sudden shift, as evidenced by the eccentric statement issued by the Public Relations Unit of RCCG.”
“It is pertinent to state that the fundamental rights of Olumide Ogunsanwo have already been violated, as he was detained beyond the constitutionally permissible timeline and without any legally tenable grounds. Since RCCG has now chosen to align itself with the petitioner and drag Pastor Enoch Adeboye into the pit of illegality created by the police and the complainant, they must understand the legal consequences.”
“We are now left with no choice but to include Pastor Adeboye as a party in any legal action we file to enforce SeaKing’s fundamental rights. This development may also require Pastor Adeboye to personally testify in court in any criminal case brought by the police, where he will be subjected to cross-examination.”
“We demand that Pastor Adeboye and RCCG retract their statement within the next 24 hours if they wish to avoid being named as parties in legal proceedings,” he adds.
TikToker SeaKing’s initial arrest and legal battle over alleged cyberbully against Nigeria Police
On December 20, 2024, the Nigeria Police Force arrested SeaKing for his anti-police TikTok video, where he called on Nigerian youths to resist any police who harassed them.
On December 23, 2024, SeaKing was hauled to the Ogba Magistrate Court in Lagos by the police seeking a remand order to detain him for 30 days. He is being tried for treason and cyberstalking.
However, SeaKing’s lawyer contested the remand request, and the magistrate granted him bail instead.
The police were instructed by the magistrate to send a duplicate copy of the case file to the DPP for legal advice. The case was therefore adjourned to January 16, 2025, pending the DPP Advice report.
On January 16, 2025, Seaking appeared in court, but the prosecution had no representatives present. The proceedings were again postponed by the court to Thursday, February 6, 2025.
The police prosecutor appeared in court on February 6 and begged for a postponement so they could file proof of compliance with the order of the court. The police were given seven days to submit proof of compliance after the magistrate approved the application. After that, the case was postponed until March 25, 2025, to provide a compliance report.
However, on February 6, 2025, Seaking was rearrested within the court premises after the day’s proceedings, where he was transported to the State Police Command in Ikeja. From there, he was flown to Abuja.
