On September 23, 2025, police arrested Friday James Alefia, publisher of the Naija News Today site, at his home in Ikorodu in western Lagos State, and transferred him to detention facilities in Gudu district in Nigeria's capital, Abuja.
Police also confiscated Alefia's phone and laptop, a person with knowledge of the case told CPJ, on condition of anonymity, citing fear of reprisals.
On October 8, Alefia and the Asiwaju Media Company, which publishes Naija News Today, were charged with five counts of "false" statements on a media platform and social media, including Facebook, under sections 24 and 27 of the Cybercrimes Act, according to a copy of the charge sheet, reviewed by CPJ, and the journalist’s lawyer, Israel Opah Abida.
The charge sheet included the headlines of four reports, which alleged that a lawmaker was involved in intimidation, extortion, electoral fraud, and land grabbing.
On November 12, Alefia appeared in court and pleaded not guilty, according to news reports, which said he was remanded at Kuje Prison, outside Abuja, until a hearing on January 27, 2026.
On November 24, the prosecution opposed Alefia’s application for bail and the matter was adjourned to November 27, his lawyer told CPJ, adding that the prosecution was fined 50,000 naira ($34) for delaying the process.
On November 27, the court granted Alefia bail on condition that he provides a bail bond of 20 million naira ($13,829) and two sureties, according to the privately owned Premium Times newspaper.
As of December 1, Alefia remained in detention, having been unable to meet those conditions, according to the person with knowledge of the case.
When CPJ called national police spokesperson in Benjamin Hundeyin in November 2025, the officer who answered referred CPJ to Abuja police spokesperson Josephine Adeh, who did not respond to CPJ’s calls and messages requesting comment.
CPJ research shows that at least 25 journalists faced prosecution under Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act before its amendment in February 2024. As of December 1, 2025, Alefia was the sixth journalist to be prosecuted in Nigeria for cybercrimes since the reforms.