CSOs condemn remand of journalist Daniel Ojukwu, demand immediate release

17 media and civil society organisations have condemned the remand of investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu over reports questioning public spending, demanding his immediate release and an end to the criminalisation of investigative journalism.

Media and civil society organisations have condemned the remand of investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja, warning that his prosecution over reports examining public expenditure could deter press freedom and discourage accountability journalism.

In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, the organisations demanded Ojukwu’s immediate release and called on the authorities to discontinue what they described as the misuse of cybercrime and criminal defamation laws against journalists.

The statement followed a Federal High Court order on Tuesday remanding Mr Ojukwu until 1 December, when his bail application is scheduled to be heard.

Mr Ojukwu, who pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts, is being prosecuted alongside Fisayo Soyombo, the founder of FIJ, over reports published between November 2023 and January 2024 concerning the activities of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.

The police accused the journalists of cyberstalking and criminal defamation against Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, who served as the senior special assistant on SDGs under the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari.

The court declined a request by Mr Ojukwu’s lawyer, Atanda Kayode, to allow him to continue enjoying the administrative bail previously granted by the police. The lawyer told the court that his client had complied with the bail conditions.

But the presiding judge, Joyce Abdulmalik, declined to hear the pending bail application, saying it was not ripe for consideration because it had been filed only on Monday.

The prosecution also told the court that Mr Soyombo was at large and sought a bench warrant for his arrest. The judge declined the request, saying he had not been brought before the court.

The organisations said the reports under prosecution raised legitimate questions about public spending, including N147.1 million reportedly paid for classroom construction projects and N47.5 million for another contract. They also highlighted FIJ’s findings that solar installations reportedly completed under the projects stopped functioning shortly after installation.

They argued that public officials entrusted with public resources must be prepared to explain how the funds are spent, adding that criminal prosecution should not be used to shield public institutions from checks.

The organisations further questioned the decision to prosecute Mr Ojukwu over the same reporting that led to his arrest and detention in May 2024.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the journalist was held for 10 days following his arrest by police officers before he was released on 10 May 2024, after public outcry and pressure from human rights advocates.

The statement said the renewed prosecution could create a climate of fear among investigative journalists, whistleblowers and civil society organisations working to expose corruption and abuse of public resources.

It cited Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, which provide for the press’s responsibility to hold government accountable and guarantee freedom of expression, as well as protections under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

The organisations said that where public officials consider a report inaccurate or defamatory, they should pursue appropriate legal remedies rather than resort to criminal prosecution capable of intimidating journalists.

They also asked the government to address the questions raised by FIJ’s investigations by releasing relevant public records and subjecting the projects to independent scrutiny.

Other signatories to the statement include Accountability Lab Nigeria, Cable Newspaper Journalism Foundation, Dataphyte Foundation, Digital Africa Research and Safety Lab, Enough is Enough Nigeria, Gatefield Impact Foundation, Global Rights, Hope Behind Bars Africa, International Press Centre, Digital Rights Lawyers Initiative, Network of University Legal Aid Institutions Nigeria, Techsocietal and WikkiTimes.

The organisations insisted that the government could not credibly claim commitment to transparency and anti-corruption while journalists investigating public expenditure faced detention and criminal prosecution.

The case is scheduled to resume on 1 December for the hearing of Mr Ojukwu’s bail application.