Investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu has been remanded in Kuje Correctional Centre following his arraignment on 12 cybercrime charges linked to reports published by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ). The Federal High Court in Abuja ordered his detention on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, after he pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against him by the Inspector-General of Police.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik directed that Ojukwu remain in custody until December 1, 2026, when the court will hear his bail application. The charges include alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation arising from investigative publications about government-funded projects associated with Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, a former Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals.
Ojukwu works as a correspondent with FIJ, an independent investigative news organisation known for its reports on public accountability and alleged financial irregularities. The case also names FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo as a second defendant, although he was absent during Tuesday’s proceedings.
Why Daniel Ojukwu Was Remanded in Kuje
The prosecution filed a 12-count charge against Ojukwu and Soyombo over four investigative reports published on the FIJ website between November 2023 and January 2024.
The reports examined the activities and expenditure of the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), which Orelope-Adefulire headed under the previous administration.
One of the investigations, published on November 7, 2023, questioned the office’s expenditure on classroom construction at Ajeromi Primary School in Lagos. The report examined a contract involving more than ₦147 million and raised questions about the actual condition of the school and the execution of the proposed projects.
Another publication, released on December 3, 2023, examined an alleged ₦47.5 million contract involving the same government office. FIJ also published reports concerning an earlier forfeiture of funds linked to the former presidential aide and the condition of solar installations at a school after project completion.
However, the prosecution alleges that the publications exposed Orelope-Adefulire to fear of death, violence or bodily harm. It consequently brought charges under the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act and the Criminal Code Act.
Ojukwu denied the allegations when the court read the charges to him. He pleaded not guilty to all 12 counts.
Court Rejects Request for Administrative Bail
During the proceedings, the prosecution asked the court to remand Ojukwu after he entered his plea. However, his defence counsel informed the judge that the journalist already had a pending bail application.
The defence also argued that Ojukwu had previously received administrative bail from the police and had complied with its conditions. His lawyers therefore urged the court to allow him to continue enjoying that arrangement while the case proceeded.
Justice Abdulmalik declined the request and ordered his remand at the Kuje Correctional Centre. The judge also fixed December 1 for the hearing of his bail application, giving the prosecution time to respond to the defence’s request.
Meanwhile, the prosecution informed the court that Soyombo, the second defendant, was not present and described him as being at large. It also sought a bench warrant to compel his appearance. However, the judge declined the request because Soyombo had not previously appeared before the court.
Previous Arrest Renews Press Freedom Concerns
Ojukwu’s latest detention comes more than two years after police officers arrested and detained him over the same investigative reports in May 2024.
The journalist spent 10 days in police custody before his release on May 10, 2024, following public criticism and pressure from human rights advocates. His earlier detention also attracted attention from organisations monitoring press freedom and the treatment of journalists in Nigeria.
Following the latest court order, the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called on Nigerian authorities to drop the charges against Ojukwu and Soyombo. The organisation argued that criminal prosecution over investigative reporting could discourage journalists from examining allegations involving public officials and government spending.
CPJ Africa Director Angela Quintal also urged the authorities to review laws that criminalise journalism, warning that such provisions could restrict independent reporting.
However, Orelope-Adefulire’s lawyer, Muiz Banire, defended the prosecution and maintained that journalists must practise responsible journalism. He also challenged the defendants to substantiate their published reports.
The case has therefore renewed discussions about the balance between protecting individuals from unlawful publications and safeguarding the media’s responsibility to investigate matters of public interest.
For now, Ojukwu remains at the Kuje Correctional Centre as the court prepares to consider his bail application on December 1. His plea of not guilty means the allegations remain before the court, and no conviction has been established against him.
