The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has ordered the remand of popular social media activist and influencer, Scott Iguma, in custody until Monday, July 21, 2025. The order comes in response to allegations of criminal defamation brought against him by real estate giant, PWAN Group.
Iguma, who boasts a large online presence with over one million followers on Instagram, was reportedly arrested on Wednesday, July 16, at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Yaba. He was subsequently arraigned before the court the following day, Thursday, July 17.
The influencer is facing a 10-count charge related to alleged false publications and criminal defamation. The charges are said to stem from a series of Instagram posts in which Iguma accused PWAN Group of fraudulent practices in its real estate dealings. The posts, which went viral on May 27 and 28, 2025, stirred significant public attention and concern.
Among the claims made by Iguma in his social media posts were allegations that:
PWAN collected funds from real estate investors without ever allocating land to them,The company “sells receipts instead of actual land,” and
He referred to the founder of PWAN as “the leader of the thieves.”
In one particularly controversial post, Iguma went as far as to warn that his life and that of his family could be in danger, stating:
“If anything happens to me, PWAN should be number 1 suspect. If anything happens to my family, nuclear and extended, hold PWAN responsible, even if I fall sick, hold PWAN responsible.”
During the court proceedings, police prosecutor ASP A.O. Nwabuisi argued that the influencer’s comments were not only defamatory but also inciting and posed a serious risk to public peace and safety. The prosecution claimed that Iguma's social media activity violated Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, as amended in 2024, and is punishable under Section 24(2)(ii) of the same law.
According to the police, the content was deliberately crafted to tarnish PWAN’s reputation and to incite public hatred, distrust, and unrest among property investors and the wider public.
Iguma’s legal team pushes back
Shortly after the court ordered his remand, a post was shared on his verified Instagram account, @scott_iguma, strongly criticizing the actions of the Nigeria Police Force. His legal team described the arrest and detention as unlawful and an abuse of power.
“The Nigerian Police Force has again towed the path of illegality by detaining our client, Mr Scott Iguma, today for purportedly defaming PWAN,” the statement read.
The legal team further argued the following points in his defense:
That defamation is no longer recognized as a criminal offense under the Lagos State Criminal Law of 2011, which officially decriminalised the act,That the police lacked legal jurisdiction to detain Iguma over what is essentially a civil dispute,
That the arrest and charges reflect a pattern of powerful individuals and corporations using law enforcement agencies to intimidate critics.
In addition, the statement accused PWAN of leveraging their influence within the system to orchestrate the arrest. They alleged:
“PWAN used the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Yaba Panti, to detain Scott Iguma.”
Meanwhile, the court has adjourned the case to Monday, July 21, 2025, where the hearing on Iguma’s bail application and further proceedings are expected to take place.