The Nigerian government on Wednesday arraigned journalist Jones
Abiri for alleged economic sabotage and terrorism.
Federal prosecutors filed three counts of terrorism, economic
sabotage, and fraud against Mr Abiri on Wednesday morning,
according to his lawyer, Samuel Ogala.
Court filing seen said Mr Abiri sent text messages from his
phone number to Shell and Agip officials, threatening to blow their
oil installations if his demands were not met.
The Bayelsa-based journalist was also accused of leading a gang
of activists to blow up pipelines in Bayelsa.
All the offences allegedly took place between June and July
2016.
The charges came nine months after Mr Abiri was freed from the
custody of the State Security Service, after spending two years
there without trial.
The journalist strongly denied all allegations, saying he was
being targeted for his media work that put a spotlight on the
controversial conducts of oil companies and the Nigerian government
in the Niger Delta.
His ordeal has been a major topic of discussion amongst media
rights advocates, with the New York-based Committee to Protect
Journalist asking for all charges to be dropped.
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