The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who has been remanded in prison custody over reports he published on public spending.
In a statement signed by its National President, Alhassan Yahya, the union expressed grave concern over Ojukwu’s continued detention and prosecution.
He was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, 10 November 2026, on 12 counts of alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation, and remanded until 1 December 2026 for his bail hearing. That amounts to 21 days in custody.
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, alongside local and international rights groups, also demanded the withdrawal of all charges against Ojukwu and FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo.
The union warned the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies against what it called the recurring weaponisation of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws to harass, abduct and silence journalists.
It noted that Ojukwu was previously abducted by police operatives for 10 days in May 2024 over the same investigative work.
“Journalism is a constitutionally mandated public service, not a crime,” the statement said, adding that using the criminal justice system to punish reporters for scrutinising public spending undermines the foundations of Nigeria’s democracy.
The NUJ 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 the 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.
It said prolonged pre-trial detention over stories of overriding public interest creates a chilling climate of fear across the media landscape.
The union stated its 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 do their work without fear of arrest, detention or persecution.
