The oral bail application for Isaac Tamunoibifiri Bristol, who is accused by the Nigeria Police Force of being the prominent anonymous online whistleblower known as PIDOM Nigeria, was not heard today at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Emeka Nwite presided over the case, but the hearing of the application was postponed.
Bristol’s lawyer, Deji Adeyanju, is now working on submitting a written bail application, which will allow a statutory seven-day response period. Meanwhile, Bristol has been remanded at Kuje prison for at least seven days.
In an exclusive phone interview with West Africa Weekly shortly after his court appearance, Bristol disclosed troubling information about his health. He claimed that last week, the Deputy Director (DCP) of the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) personally visited his cell and sprayed an unknown substance there. Since that incident, Bristol stated that he has felt extremely ill and has been experiencing severe difficulty in breathing. These symptoms were noticeable during the phone conversation, as Bristol’s voice was marked by constant wheezing and coughing. He also revealed that there was an unsuccessful attempt to inject him with an unidentified substance while he was in custody at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
The use of aerosolized chemical substances and injected poisons has historically been associated with assassination attempts by Nigerian security and intelligence agencies, particularly targeting high-profile political prisoners. Given Bristol’s claims, there are growing concerns that his health may have already been severely compromised before his transfer to Kuje prison.
Credit : WestAfrica Weekly