If Nigerian blogger Ejike Ofoegbu thought his emotional, sweeping public apology over the weekend would get him out of hot water, he was dead wrong.

The Anambra State Government has officially and fiercely rejected the apology, labeling his fabrications as "satanic works of fiction" rather than mere journalistic mistakes. In a scathing statement issued on Monday morning by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Christian Aburime, the government made it clear that a simple retraction cannot repair the monumental reputational damage caused by Ofoegbu’s digital hustle.

"You Didn't Fail to Verify Sources—You WERE the Source"

The government pulled absolutely no punches, dissecting Ofoegbu's clickbait operations with precision. Aburime argued that Ofoegbu didn't just practice bad journalism; he ran a calculated, criminal operation designed to monetize human dignity.

"He did not only concoct and publish false quotes... he constructed an entire theatre of the absurd: a governor “disowning” his son and claiming he was “ordered from Temu”; a son calling his father a “drunkard who beat my mom”; a “drinking competition” between a governor and a minister; and election predictions manufactured from thin air!"

The administration noted that Ofoegbu's remorse only materialized because "the walls have closed in" and the long arm of the law arrived at his doorstep.

Facing the Full Wrath of the Cybercrimes Act

The state government confirmed it will not let the matter slide, indicating that Ofoegbu is being set up as a legal scapegoat to deter other digital creators.

The publisher of Igbo Times Magazine is now facing prosecution under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, Etc.) Act 2015. If convicted, Ofoegbu faces:

  • Up to 10 years in prison.

  • A fine of up to ₦25 million, or both.

A Call to Purge the Digital Space: Blacklists and De-platforming

In a direct challenge to media regulators, Governor Soludo’s administration called on professional bodies to aggressively look inward and flush out bad actors. The statement demanded immediate institutional action:

  • The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ): Urged to formally disown Ofoegbu and declare him a "fabricator," not a journalist.

  • The Nigeria Press Council (NPC): Tasked to launch a formal inquiry, issue a public censure, and permanently blacklist him.

  • The Association of Nigeria Bloggers: Challenged to stop acting like a "social club for content creators" and implement a strict code of conduct with actual consequences.

A Final Warning to the "Clout Chasers"

The state government wrapped up its statement with a chilling warning directed at other bloggers, content creators, and social media operatives currently running smear campaigns against Governor Soludo or his son, Ozonna.

"Make no mistakes: you will be caught! Yes, the digital footprint is permanent. The screenshots are archived. The victims are watching... You are repeating the exact playbook that just collapsed under the weight of its own falsehoods. You are building your house on the same quicksand that swallowed Ofoegbu whole."

The era of unchecked, highly-monetized fake news in the Nigerian digital space might just be facing its biggest legal reckoning yet.

Do you think Governor Soludo is right to reject the apology and pursue jail time, or should a full retraction be enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!