IGBOZURUOKE MEDIA

The Nigerian Army has officially confirmed the arrest of social media influencer and blogger Justice Mark Chidiebere, popularly known as Justice Crack, accusing him of attempting to incite soldiers and plotting “subversion” against the military high command.

In a statement released on Saturday, May 2, signed by the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Appolonia Anele, claimed that Chidiebere was “picked up” alongside some soldiers following a preliminary investigation into viral social media posts regarding troop welfare and feeding. 

The army statement, however, did not indicate when he was picked up.

The army’s clarification comes amid a massive wave of public outrage sparked by reports and video evidence suggesting that Justice Crack was abducted and subjected to medieval-style torture — including being chained to a tree under the scorching sun for over 72 hours.

According to the military, Chidiebere’s interactions with personnel went beyond whistleblowing. 

The army alleged that the activist was cultivating “vulnerable personnel” to create discontent within the ranks.

“While the matter is being investigated for breach of the Armed Forces’ Social Media Policy and an attempt to misinform the public, preliminary report reveals that the soldiers discussed wide range of issues with Justice Chidiebere who seemed to be inciting soldiers to create discontent within the system. An example was a chat bothering on subversion which Chidiebere had with the soldiers,” the statement read.

Colonel Anele argued that such actions by civilians have “far-reaching implications on discipline and national security,” justifying the military’s decision to intercept the blogger.

While the army was quick to label Chidiebere’s actions as subversive, the statement conspicuously avoided addressing the graphic allegations of torture that have dominated social media since Saturday morning.

The statement further added, “It is important to state that a situation where civilians cultivate vulnerable personnel towards acts of subversion has far-reaching implications on discipline and national security. 

“Hence, Justice Chidiebere was picked by the Nigerian Army alongside the soldiers for investigation. 

While the soldiers remain in own custody, Chidiebere has been handed over to the relevant civil authorities for further investigation and possible prosecution.

“The Nigerian Army remains committed to the rule of law and will continue to collaborate with relevant agencies to ensure justice is served. We will continue to act within the ambits of the law in safeguarding our sovereignty.”

SaharaReporters had earlier reported on a viral video where a relative of the activist lamented his excruciating ordeal, claiming he was left tied to a tree for three days without recourse to legal representation or the police.

The statement claimed that Chidiebere has now been handed over to “relevant civil authorities” for further investigation and possible prosecution, although the specific agency holding him was not named.

The military’s justification has done little to calm the storm on X (formerly Twitter), where the hashtag #FreeJusticeCrackNow continues to trend. Critics have slammed the military for acting as “accuser, judge, and executioner” by allegedly torturing a civilian before handing him over to the police.

Human rights advocates have pointed out the hypocrisy in the military’s swift and brutal response to a blogger, contrasted with its perceived inaction against certain religious clerics who have openly threatened state officials or called for violence in the past.

The Nigerian Army, however, insists it remains “committed to the rule of law” and acted within the “ambits of the law” to safeguard national sovereignty.

Under the Nigerian Constitution and the Armed Forces Act, the military has no legal authority to detain or torture civilians. 

Legal experts maintain that if Chidiebere committed a crime, the standard procedure would have been to report him to the Nigeria Police Force or the Department of State Services (DSS) for a formal arrest and arraignment. (Sahara Reporters)