TikToker Timothy 'Tumma' Gabriel Held In Solitary Confinement Over 33 Days On IGP Egbetokun's Orders Over Alleged Threat To Reputation | Sahara Reporters
Gabriel was arrested around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2025, by a team of stern-looking officers from the Berger Quarry Police Station in Mpape, Abuja. He was later transferred to the Cyber-Crime Centre of the Nigeria Police Force.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, continues to detain popular TikToker Timothy Gabriel, also known as "Tumma," in solitary confinement.
Gabriel was arrested around 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, 2025, by a team of stern-looking officers from the Berger Quarry Police Station in Mpape, Abuja. He was later transferred to the Cyber-Crime Centre of the Nigeria Police Force.
According to sources, Gabriel’s arrest was ordered directly by IGP Egbetokun over statements made on his TikTok page, which the IGP claimed were intended to damage his reputation.
More than 33 days after his arrest, the police have refused to grant Gabriel bail, opting instead to keep him in solitary confinement.
In this case, the IGP serves as the complainant, investigator, and prosecutor.
Court documents obtained by SaharaReporters confirm that IGP Egbetokun is listed as the sole complainant, while Gabriel is named as the defendant.
Count one of the charges reads, “That you Timothy Gabriel 'm' 25 years old of Mpape, Abuja, sometime in February 2025 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly or intentionally by means of computer network posted a video on your Tik-Tok account with profile name OFFICIAL_TUMMA (Gabriel_Timothy) a comment in which you falsely stated that the Executive Governor of Lagos State is an armed robber who specialized in robbing the Lagos State Treasury, a statement aimed at threatening the reputation of the Executive Governor of Lagos State and you thereby committed an offence contrary to S.24(2)(a) and punishable under S.24(2)(c)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prevention, Prohibition etc) Act 2025 (as amended) 2024.”
Count two reads, “That you Timothy Gabriel 'm' 25 years old of Mpape, Abuja, sometime in February 2025 in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court knowingly or intentionally by means of computer network posted a video on your Tik-Tok account with profile name OFFICIAL_TUR _TUMMA (Gabriel_Timothy) aimed at threatening the reputation of the IGP and you thereby commit an offence contrary to S.24(2)(a) and punishable under S.24(2)(c)(i) of the Cybercrimes (Prevention, Prohibition etc) Act 2025 (as amended) 2024.”
SaharaReporters earlier reported that his arrest was linked to a video he made in which he said, "If any officer says he wants to check your phone, beat him. Even if the Commissioner of Police or President Tinubu says he wants to check your phone, beat him very well.”
He emphasised that a mobile phone is a personal possession.
Tumma in another video said, "Nigerian commissioner (Inspector General, Kayode Egbetokun) of police wuwaka, your papa.”
He also directed his anger at President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, Vice President Kashim Shettima, National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, Senate President Godswill Akpabio and Lagos Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
He dared them to arrest him.
Meanwhile, his lawyer, S. M. Oyeghe, Esq., an Abuja-based human rights attorney, informed SaharaReporters that the arrest was not based on any petition. Instead, the police acted on their own accord, as the allegations in the video implicate them and other influential Nigerians.
"I just confirmed from the brother who was there when his statement was taken- he confirmed there was no formal petition against him rather he was only confronted with the TikTok video,” he said.
Oyeghe said he visited the team in charge of the matter on February 11, 2025 and thereafter visited the suspects alongside his brothers - Gabriel Smart Victor and Innocent Gabriel – at the FCID, where he was being detained.
"Till the time of the visitation, Gabriel Timothy is yet to be admitted to bail and the police have shown clear unwillingness to admit him to bail," Oyeghe told SaharaReporters in February.
