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| Scott Iguma awaits court decision in detention. |
The Federal High Court in Ikoyi has ordered activist Scott Iguma to remain in detention until Monday, July 21, 2025. He was arrested on July 16 at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Yaba, Lagos State, over videos condemning PWAN Group’s land‐allocation delays .
Iguma faces ten counts of criminal defamation under the Cybercrime Act 2015, as amended in 2024. Yet Lagos State decriminalized defamation in 2011. Legal experts say police reliance on those repealed sections shows overreach .
Iguma began publicly exposing PWAN’s practices on May 7. He shared investor complaints of paid but unallocated plots. Some customers paid as far back as 2016, yet still await deeds .
In early May, the Securities and Exchange Commission labeled PWAN a possible Ponzi scheme. The firm denied those claims, saying its buy-back model is backed by real assets, not pooled funds .
PWAN says it has over 1,000 estate projects and one million sales agents nationwide. It acknowledges 120 formal client complaints. As of July 8, it had resolved 82 cases, offering deeds and survey plans to investors .
Yet Iguma’s videos spotlighted clients still waiting on land. One man paid ₦3 million in 2016. Nine years later, he saw only overgrown fields when shown his “plots” .
PWAN’s leadership insists it acts in good faith. Founder Augustine Onwumere urged aggrieved clients to come forward. His team set up an internal task force to process complaints .
Lawyers note that digital defamation charges must meet clear standards. Section 24(1) of the Cybercrime Act once covered false online messages. In 2024, lawmakers narrowed that scope, removing insult and defamation as crimes .
Senior Advocate of Nigeria Solo Akuma says any criminal defamation law must bow to the Constitution’s free-speech guarantee . He warns that misuse of the cyber-law can chill public debate.
Iguma’s detention has drawn broad criticism. Activists and celebrities are calling for his release. They argue that silencing critics only deepens distrust in key industries .
Meanwhile, Lagos police say they will prosecute Iguma under the amended Cybercrime Act. They claim his videos threatened public order. But civil-rights groups say that argument lacks legal footing.
This case raises urgent questions about free speech, consumer rights, and the rule of law in Nigeria. If courts use outdated laws to punish critics, more voices will stay silent.
Broad data shows Nigeria’s real-estate sector faces over 20,000 complaints of non-delivery since 2022. Investor losses top ₦50 billion, per industry watchdogs .
As Iguma sits in detention, public focus turns to Monday’s hearing. Will justice mean his swift release? Or will legal gaps keep him behind bars? The nation watches closely.