NGE Condemns Prosecution of FIJ Journalist, Demands Release

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has condemned the arrest, detention and prosecution of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), demanding his immediate release on bail.

The Guild described the journalist’s prosecution as an attack on press freedom and Nigerians’ constitutional right to receive information, particularly because the charges are connected to investigative reports examining public expenditure.

In a statement issued on Sunday, November 15, 2026, and signed by its President, Eze Anaba, and General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh, the NGE expressed concern over Ojukwu’s continued detention at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

Ojukwu was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on November 10 over a 12-count charge bordering on alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation. He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was remanded in custody pending the hearing of his bail application.

The charges arose from FIJ investigations published between 2023 and 2024 concerning alleged irregularities in contracts and expenditure by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, headed by Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

One of the investigations reportedly questioned an alleged payment of more than ₦147 million to an Abuja-based restaurant for the construction of classrooms and a skills acquisition centre at a primary school in Lagos.

The reports also raised questions about the existence of the projects and the capacity of the company involved in the contract.

The NGE maintained that questions surrounding public expenditure were legitimate matters of public interest that deserved transparent answers rather than the prosecution of journalists reporting them.

“Investigative journalism is not a crime. Asking questions about public expenditure is not cyberstalking. Demanding accountability from public officials is not defamation,” the Guild stated.

It warned that using criminal laws to pursue journalists over investigative reports could discourage media practitioners from scrutinising government activities and expose critical voices to intimidation.

The Guild consequently demanded Ojukwu’s immediate release on bail, a review of the charges against him and FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo, and an end to the harassment of journalists.

It also urged law enforcement agencies to stop using cybersecurity legislation to intimidate media practitioners and called on the judiciary to protect fundamental rights and ensure that legal proceedings were not used to suppress legitimate journalism.

The NGE said it would continue to defend press freedom and the media’s constitutional responsibility to hold public officials accountable.