The Department of State Services (DSS) is preparing to formally arraign a former branch chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) over messages he shared on WhatsApp regarding an ongoing land dispute connected to the President of the Court of Appeal.

The secret police initiated legal action following investigations into digital communications disseminated by the legal practitioner across social media platforms and instant messaging groups.

According to court filings and reports, the charges center on allegations that the attorney distributed false, defamatory, and incendiary content intended to incite public disorder and undermine the integrity of the judiciary.

The WhatsApp posts specifically discussed a controversial land ownership conflict involving the judicial chief, alleging administrative overreach and impropriety. The DSS contends that broadcasting such unverified assertions poses a threat to public order and violates provisions of the Cybercrimes Act as well as relevant state penal codes.

The decision to prosecute the former NBA chief has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocacy groups and members of the legal community, who characterize the involvement of domestic intelligence agencies in a civil land controversy and digital opinion-sharing as an overreach of authority.

Critics argue that using federal security agencies to clamp down on digital speech sets a dangerous precedent for freedom of expression and legal advocacy in the country. Meanwhile, the legal team representing the accused practitioner has indicated readiness to defend against the charges, maintaining that the posts constituted fair commentary protected under fundamental constitutional rights.