The bail application filed by
Chidiebere Justice Mark, popularly known as Justice Crack, on Thursday suffered a setback at the Federal High Court in Abuja after he informed the court that he had ditched Marshall Abubakar for Femi Balogun, as his counsel.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik had, on May 4, fixed today for hearing of Mark’s bail request shortly after he was arraigned by the Department of State Services (DSS) and pleaded not guilty to a three-count charge.

The adjournment followed an application by Mark’s lawyer, Marshall Abubakar, who told the court of the need to admit his client to bail pending trial.

The DSS had, in the charge marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/253/2026, sued Crack, as sole defendant over alleged cybercrime offences linked to a viral video concerning the Nigerian Army.

Mark was alleged to have circulated a false information and publication of materials capable of causing public unrest.

The defendant, who was reportedly arrested by the Nigerian Army, was accused of publishing the viral video and accompanying statements through his X handle, @JusticeCrack, alleging inadequate feeding of Nigerian soldiers.

When the case was called on Thursday, Leyii Abueh, from the Federal Ministry of Justice, informed the court that the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) had taken over the matter from the DSS in line with the relevant section of the law.

However, things took a dramatic twist as Femi Balogun and Abubakar stood up to announce appearance for the same Crack.

Balogun told the court that he was briefed by Mark’s family to take up the case.

He notified the court about the defence bail application already filed.

However, Abubakar stood his ground, insisting that he was the defendant’s lawyer, who had been appearing in the case and he had not been disengaged from handling Crack’s matter.

Justice Abdulmalik then asked the defendant to identify his lawyer and Mark pointed at Balogun.

Against this development, Abubakar applied to withdraw all the processes he filed in respect of the case, including the bail application which Balogun had relied on.

The judge struck out the processes filed by Abubakar and adjourned until May 18 for hearing of the fresh bail application.

A foremost socio-political organisation in Imo State, Okigwe Zurumee, has honoured Chief Joachim Ezeji, KSM, with a merit award in recognition of his contributions to community development and the growth of the Okigwe zone.

The award was presented on Thursday during an event held in Owerri, the Imo State capital, where the group celebrated individuals considered to have made meaningful impacts in their communities and the society at large.

According to the organisers, Ezeji was recognised for his commitment to the development of his community and his contributions toward the socio-economic advancement of the Okigwe zone.

Chief Ezeji, who was unavoidably absent at the ceremony, was represented by Engr. Chukwudi Adiruo of the Imo State Water Corporation, Owerri, who received the award on his behalf.

Speaking at the event, members of the group described the award recipient as a distinguished son of the zone whose dedication to service and community growth continues to inspire others.

The honour, they noted, reflects the group’s commitment to celebrating excellence, leadership and selfless contributions to society.

The Nigerian Communications Commission has assured Nigerians that ongoing efforts to improve the quality of telecommunications services across the country are yielding results, even as it acknowledged persistent challenges affecting consumers in some areas.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commission’s Head of Public Affairs, Nnena Ukoha, the NCC said it was aware of public complaints over dropped calls, slow internet speeds, unstable data services and other service disruptions.

The Commission noted that telecommunications services have become essential to daily life, stressing that consumers deserve reliable and efficient services for the money they pay.

According to the NCC, improving Quality of Service has remained a major regulatory focus over the past two years. It said the Commission had intensified oversight of Mobile Network Operators, Internet Service Providers and Tower Companies, while also engaging key stakeholders to tackle structural challenges affecting service delivery.

The regulator disclosed that the telecom sector is currently undergoing one of its largest network expansion and modernisation exercises in recent years following a long period of under-investment.

It revealed that Mobile Network Operators invested more than N2.13 trillion in network infrastructure and upgrades in 2025, while Tower Companies added another N373.8 billion to support the expansion drive.

The investments, according to the Commission, led to the addition and upgrade of more than 2,800 telecommunications sites nationwide to improve coverage and network capacity.

The NCC explained that the upgrades included the deployment of faster 4G and 5G technologies, expansion of fibre backhaul infrastructure, targeted improvements in high-demand urban centres, rollout of services to underserved communities and replacement of outdated equipment.

The Commission said the expansion drive had continued in 2026, with industry players committing to add or upgrade more than 12,000 sites this year. It added that nearly 3,000 sites had already been completed, while over 730 additional 5G sites had been deployed across 27 states.

The NCC also disclosed that it had facilitated the reallocation and restructuring of idle and underutilised radio spectrum among major network operators to improve network efficiency, capacity and service performance.

According to the Commission, recent Quality of Service assessments showed gradual improvements in network capacity, coverage and internet speeds in several parts of the country.

It stated that 4G penetration had increased from 45 per cent in January 2024 to 54 per cent currently, while national median download speeds rose from 16.5Mbps to 20Mbps within the same period.

The Commission further noted improvements in power availability at telecom tower sites, which increased from a national average of 99.3 per cent in January 2025 to 99.7 per cent currently.

Despite the progress, the NCC admitted that many subscribers still experience poor call quality, congestion and unstable internet services in some locations, stressing that operators must accelerate improvements.

The Commission also identified major threats to network performance, including fibre cuts caused by road construction activities, vandalism, theft of telecom equipment, power disruptions and restricted access to network facilities.

It disclosed that more than 27,000 avoidable fibre-cut incidents were recorded nationwide in 2025 alone.

The NCC said it was working closely with the Office of the National Security Adviser and other stakeholders to enforce the Presidential Order on Critical National Information Infrastructure and curb vandalism and theft affecting telecom facilities.

To improve transparency, the Commission said operators had been directed to promptly notify consumers whenever major network outages occur and restore services within specified timelines.

The regulator added that enforcement of the updated Quality of Service Regulations 2024 commenced in November 2025, including measures for consumer compensation and sanctions against operators that fail to meet service standards.

The Commission warned that it would continue to take regulatory action against service providers that fail to deliver measurable improvements.

The NCC also called on federal, state and local governments, as well as host communities, to support efforts aimed at protecting telecommunications infrastructure and creating a conducive environment for sustained investment in the sector.

The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring that Nigerians enjoy reliable, affordable and high-quality telecommunications services across the country.