The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a cybercrime case against Sanusi Dankaka, who was accused of threatening to release purported nude photographs and videos of Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf on social media.
Justice Salim Ibrahim terminated the proceedings on Tuesday after the prosecution applied to withdraw the two-count charge brought against the defendant.
The application was made by prosecution counsel A.Y. Afegbua, who informed the court of the decision to discontinue the case.
Dankaka’s lawyer, Kauna Penzin, raised no objection to the request, prompting the judge to strike out the charge in a brief ruling.
The development came despite an earlier decision to adjourn the matter until December 7 for the commencement of trial, following the defendant’s not-guilty plea.
However, the case was unexpectedly relisted as the final matter on Tuesday’s court schedule before the prosecution sought its withdrawal.
Dankaka had been arraigned over allegations involving publications made through a Facebook account identified as “Sanusi Dankaka Yahaya”.
According to the Department of State Services (DSS), the defendant allegedly claimed to possess intimate photographs and videos of Governor Yusuf and threatened to make them publicly available.
The allegations formed the basis of a two-count charge filed at the Federal High Court on October 22, 2026.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/699/2026, accused Dankaka and other unidentified individuals of committing cybercrime-related offences in October.
In the first count, the DSS alleged that the defendant, acting alongside others still at large, attempted to circulate a malicious publication from Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The publication allegedly contained threats to release purported intimate materials involving the Kano governor.
Prosecutors cited provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended, in support of the allegation.
The second count accused Dankaka of publishing claims about possessing the materials through the same Facebook account.
The DSS alleged that the defendant knew the claims were false and intended the publication to cause annoyance, insult, inconvenience and reputational injury to the governor.
Dankaka denied the allegations when he was arraigned.
Tuesday’s ruling brought the proceedings to an end without the court conducting a trial or determining whether the allegations were true.
The prosecution did not provide a reason for withdrawing the charges in the account of the proceedings.
Similarly, no information was provided about whether the DSS intended to pursue any further action concerning the alleged publications.
The court’s decision means the charges have been struck out following the prosecution’s withdrawal, rather than dismissed after a determination of the evidence.
No conviction was recorded against Dankaka in the proceedings.
Ezeana Emmanuel
