Abuja, November 11, 2026—The Committee to Protect Journalists calls on Nigerian authorities to immediately drop the criminal charges against journalist Daniel Ojukwu, release him unconditionally, and stop criminalizing the press for their work.
On November 10, a federal court in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, remanded Ojukwu, a correspondent with the privately owned Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), to the Kuje Custodial Centre until December 1 on cybercrime and criminal defamation charges, according to a copy of the charge sheet, which CPJ reviewed. Ojukwu, who traveled to the hearing from the southwestern Lagos state, pleaded not guilty to the 12 counts brought against him.
FIJ’s founder and award-winning journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, who faces the same charges, was not in court but is expected at the next hearing, according to FIJ’s lawyers, Oluseye Ayo Moore and Abimbola Ojenike, who spoke with CPJ.
“Nigerian authorities must swiftly drop the criminal charges against journalist Daniel Ojukwu and FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo, and repeal laws that criminalize journalism,” said CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal. “Nigeria’s cybercrime and criminal laws have too often been used to target journalists. With elections approaching, authorities must not ignore the damaging impact of these charges on press freedom and journalists’ ability to report freely and without fear.”
The charges are linked to four related investigations FIJ published between late 2023 and early 2024, which uncovered a number of suspicious government contracts by the office of the special assistant to the Nigerian government on sustainable development goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
The investigations were also related to Ojukwu’s secret arrest and 10-day detention in 2024, according to FIJ’s lawyers.
Moore told CPJ that the case was adjourned until December 1 to give prosecutors time to respond to the bail application filed by the defense.
The journalists are charged with violating:
- sections 27(b), 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes Act, which each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years in jail or a fine of 25 million naira (US$18,570)
- sections 517 and 375 of the Criminal Code Act, which each carry a maximum sentence of two years
CPJ’s calls and messages to Orelope-Adefulire for comments went unanswered. Her lawyer, Muiz Banire, defended the charges. He said that journalists should practice responsible journalism, but added, “Let them show you that what they published about my client is correct.”