The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who is in prison custody over reports he published on public spending.
In a statement issued on Thursday and signed by its National President, Alhassan Yahya, the union expressed grave concern over Ojukwu’s continued detention and prosecution.
Ojukwu was arraigned on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at the Federal High Court in Abuja on 12 counts of alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation. The court remanded him in prison custody until December 1, 2026, for his bail hearing, a period of 21 days.
The charges stem from investigative reports published in 2023 and 2024 on public expenditure by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs).
The NUJ, joining local and international rights groups, also called for the withdrawal of all charges against Ojukwu and FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo.
The union cautioned the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies against what it described as the recurring use of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws to harass, abduct and silence journalists. It noted that Ojukwu was previously held for 10 days by police operatives in May 2024 over the same investigative work.
“Journalism is a constitutionally mandated public service, not a crime,” the NUJ said, adding that using the criminal justice system to punish reporters for scrutinising public spending undermines the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy.
The union reminded the police and prosecuting authorities that Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantee freedom of expression and charge the press with holding government accountable. It also cited Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which Nigeria has signed.
According to the NUJ, subjecting investigative journalists to prolonged pre-trial detention over stories of public interest creates a chilling climate of fear across the media landscape.
The union pledged full solidarity with Ojukwu, FIJ’s management and all journalists committed to truth and transparency. It urged the Federal Government, the Inspector-General of Police and the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and respect press freedom, so that media professionals can work without fear of arrest, detention or persecution.
