ENUGU, Nigeria – A Nigerian content creator, Evangelist Ebube Joseph, has been released after the Magistrate Court in Enugu struck out a case against him on September 30, which stemmed from his online videos criticizing violent attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen in the state and the government’s response, IgbereTV reports.
Joseph’s ordeal began weeks earlier when he was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), an arrest he and other sources allege was ordered by Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah . According to his account, DSS operatives arrived at his residence around 2 a.m. with four vehicles, blindfolded him, and handcuffed him before taking him away .
He was subsequently held in an underground DSS cell for 10 days before being granted bail . Shortly after his release, he was re-arrested and secretly charged to court without, his associates say, access to legal representation or his family being notified . Fellow content creator, David (popularly known as MC Dave), stated that Joseph was being accused of defaming the governor .
In a video posted online, Joseph asserted that his only “crime” was using his platform to speak for voiceless victims of violence. “I didn’t do anything bad. My only crime is that I made a video online concerning what is happening in Nigeria generally,” he said .
Background: A Region in Turmoil
The arrest and subsequent case against Joseph occur against a backdrop of prolonged and violent conflict in the region. The clashes between predominantly Muslim Fulani herders and predominantly Christian farmers are a long-standing security challenge in Nigeria, with roots in competition over land and resources, but which have taken on increasingly violent and ethno-religious dimensions .
The specific area of Eha-Amufu in Enugu State’s Isi-Uzo Local Government Area has been a hotspot for this violence:
· Recent Deadly Attacks: In June 2025, just months before Joseph’s court date, suspected Fulani herdsmen killed at least seven people in the Agu-Amede autonomous community of Eha-Amufu .
· Sustained Protests: As recently as March 2025, thousands of women from seven autonomous communities in Eha-Amufu blocked a federal highway to protest the incessant attacks. The women reported that they have been “raped, beaten, and mutilated by criminal herdsmen,” and that their men could no longer go to their farms .
· Escalating Occupancy: A report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) indicated that jihadist Fulani herdsmen have occupied at least 950 locations in Nigeria’s largely Christian South East, a dramatic increase from just 10 locations in 2015 .
Broader Implications for Free Speech
Joseph’s case has sparked concerns about press freedom and the safety of content creators in Nigeria . The arrest of an individual for commenting on a widely documented security crisis has led to public criticism of the state government’s approach.
While the Enugu State government has not issued an official statement on Joseph’s arrest, the police have reassured the public of their commitment to rid the state of crimes, though this statement was related to separate arrests for robbery and cultism .
With the case now struck out by the Magistrate Court, attention returns to the underlying security situation that prompted Joseph’s commentary—a crisis that continues to threaten lives and livelihoods in Enugu State .
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