Who is PIDOM, the arrested ‘whistleblower’?
By Al-ameen Balogun, Ariya Mardiyah
Isaac Tamunoibiri Bristol Alagbariya, also known as PIDOM, is a social media whistleblower and investigative journalist. He operates under the anonymous X account, “PIDOMNIGERIA,” which stands for “People In Danger Or Missing Nigeria.” The account is widely known for its posts criticizing and questioning authorities in Nigeria.
On August 5, 2024, PIDOM was arrested by the Nigerian police at a hotel in Port Harcourt. He faces charges on money laundering, cybercrime, and the dissemination of classified secret documents. Despite his arrest, PIDOM denies being the person behind the account and involvement in money laundering.
The Nigerian police have also mentioned David Hundeyin and Michael Alade as accomplices to the primary suspect, Isaac Tamunoibiri Bristol Alagbariya. A few days after the arrest, David Hundeyin, the only account PIDOM follows on X, took over PIDOM’s account, announcing his disappearance.
Key Posts from the PIDOMNIGERIA Account on X:
- EndBadGovernance Protest: Played a central role in organizing the nationwide #EndBadGovernance protest.
- Scandal Allegations: Released documents claiming that the Ooni of Ife allegedly scammed a US-based Nigerian medical doctor out of $180,000 in a romance scam.
- Service Chiefs: Advocated for the dismissal of Nigeria’s service chiefs, accusing them of contributing to the country’s insecurity issues.
- Democracy Day Funds: Exposed a breakdown of ₦350,000,000 reportedly intended by the Federal Government to celebrate Democracy Day.
- NAHCON Funds: Released a classified document claiming that President Tinubu authorized over ₦24,000,000,000 to the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) through the Vice President Shettima’s office, which was later increased to more than ₦90,000,000,000.
By focusing on these controversial issues, PIDOMNIGERIA’s posts have sparked significant attention and controversy, making the anonymous figure a prominent critic of Nigerian government.
