Daniel Ojukwu Remanded: Nigeria Cyberstalking Charges for FIJ Reporter

• Investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu was remanded in Kuje Custodial Centre on 12 counts of cyberstalking and criminal defamation.
• The charges relate to his reports questioning public fund management by Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire's office under President Bola Tinubu's administration.
• Ojukwu, an FIJ reporter, pleaded not guilty, and his bail application is scheduled for December 1, 2026.
• Media and civil society organizations have condemned the remand, calling it a "dangerous attack on press freedom" and demanding his immediate release.
• Critics warn against the weaponization of Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws to silence journalists.

He emphasized that journalism serves a constitutionally mandated public service, not a criminal activity, and that employing the criminal justice system to penalize reporters for examining public spending fundamentally undermines Nigeria's democratic foundations.

Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist affiliated with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has been remanded to Kuje Custodial Centre in Abuja. This judicial action by a Federal High Court follows his arraignment on a dozen counts, primarily centered on allegations of cyberstalking and criminal defamation.

The charges against Ojukwu stem from his reports scrutinizing the financial management within the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to President Bola Tinubu on Sustainable Development Goals, an office currently led by Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire. His investigative work specifically questioned public expenditure, including payments amounting to N147.1 million and N47.5 million for classroom construction projects, alongside raising concerns regarding the operational status of solar installations reportedly completed under these initiatives. Ojukwu has entered a plea of not guilty to all charges.

The journalist's current remand marks a significant escalation in a case where he was previously arrested and detained for ten days in May 2024, also in connection with the same investigative reports. His arraignment took place on a Tuesday before Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, with the Federal High Court scheduling December 1, 2026, as the date for his bail application hearing.

The specific charges against Ojukwu invoke provisions of Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws, which critics argue are increasingly being weaponized to target journalists and stifle independent reporting in the country. This legal action against an investigative reporter for examining public funds has drawn widespread condemnation from various media and civil society organizations, who view it as a direct threat to press freedom and democratic accountability under the Tinubu government.

A broad coalition of media and civil society organizations, including prominent bodies such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the West Africa Editors Society, has vociferously condemned Ojukwu's remand. These groups have collectively demanded his immediate and unconditional release, with the NUJ National President, Alhassan Yahya, additionally calling for the withdrawal of all charges against Ojukwu and FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo, who is named as the second defendant in the case.

In a joint statement, the coalition characterized the decision to remand Ojukwu—despite his legal team's request for him to remain on administrative bail—as a "dangerous attack on press freedom and democratic accountability." They further described it as a "disturbing escalation" in the use of criminal prosecution against journalists, particularly when the reports in question raise legitimate concerns about public expenditure and the conduct of public officials like Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

Critics argue that the appropriate response to investigative journalism, even if a report is considered inaccurate or defamatory, should involve legitimate avenues for redress consistent with constitutional guarantees and human rights obligations, rather than resorting to intimidation, detention, or criminal prosecution. Alhassan Yahya of the NUJ specifically cautioned the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies against what he termed the "weaponisation of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws" to harass, abduct, and silence journalists.

He emphasized that journalism serves a constitutionally mandated public service, not a criminal activity, and that employing the criminal justice system to penalize reporters for examining public spending fundamentally undermines Nigeria's democratic foundations. The NUJ president further urged authorities to uphold constitutional protections for freedom of expression and the press, referencing Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Lawyers advising media organizations or journalists in Nigeria should note the increasing weaponization of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws, as exemplified by Daniel Ojukwu's remand. This case highlights a significant risk for investigative reporting on public officials and expenditure, necessitating a review of legal strategies for defending freedom of expression and navigating potential criminal prosecution.

Source: Original reporting via Saturday PUNCH