The presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has called for the immediate release of Foundation for Investigative Journalism reporter, Daniel Ojukwu, who was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on Tuesday.
Sowore made the demand in a statement posted on his X account, describing Ojukwu’s remand until December 1, 2026, when his bail application is scheduled for hearing, as unacceptable.
The human rights activist criticised the length of time the journalist would spend in custody awaiting a bail hearing, arguing that it amounted to punishment before conviction and undermined the constitutional presumption of innocence.
“Remanding a journalist who is not on the run for 21 days merely to hear a bail application is unacceptable and wicked!” Sowore wrote.
Ojukwu was arraigned on a 12-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime offences, including cyberstalking. He pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
The case, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/486/2024, also lists FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo, as a defendant, while former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is named as the complainant.
The prosecution alleged that the journalists conspired to commit cyberstalking and published reports on the FIJ website that allegedly caused presidential aide, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, to fear death, violence or bodily harm.
One of the charges relates to an investigative report published on November 7, 2023, concerning an alleged N17.1 million payment by Orelope-Adefulire, then a senior aide to former President Muhammadu Buhari, to a restaurant for the construction of classrooms in Lagos.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution told the court that Soyombo was at large and requested a bench warrant for his arrest. However, the judge declined, noting that the second defendant had not previously been brought before the court.
Following Ojukwu’s plea, the prosecution requested his remand. His lawyers urged the court to allow him to remain on administrative bail, arguing that he had complied with its conditions and had a pending bail application.
The judge rejected the request and fixed December 1 for the hearing of the bail application, noting that the charge had been served on Ojukwu before the application was filed.
Reacting, Sowore appealed to the presiding judge, Justice Abdulmalik, to reconsider the journalist’s detention, insisting that courts should protect citizens against arbitrary detention rather than prolong it.
He also called for greater scrutiny of the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre and its handling of cybercrime-related investigations, concluding his statement with the demand: “FREE DANIEL OJUKWU NOW!”
