The Nigerian Guild of Editors has demanded the immediate release of FIJ correspondent Daniel Ojukwu, condemning his remand at Kuje Correctional Centre as a strike against press freedom and the public’s right to know.
In a Sunday statement signed by President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Onuoha Ukeh, the Guild described the criminal case against Ojukwu as an assault on journalism itself.
According to the NGE, Ojukwu is being prosecuted for doing his job — asking hard questions about how public money was spent.
The statement said: “The Guild is deeply alarmed that a journalist whose professional duty is to investigate and report matters of public interest is being subjected to criminal prosecution and incarceration over reports that raised serious questions about the expenditure of public funds by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals.
“Ojukwu’s investigation reportedly exposed the alleged payment of more than ₦147 million (approximately $109,000) to an Abuja-based restaurant for the construction of classrooms and a skills acquisition centre at a primary school in Lagos. His findings raised questions about the existence of the projects and the capacity and track record of the company involved in the contract.
“These are legitimate issues of public accountability that deserve transparent answers, not the criminalisation of the journalist who brought them to public attention.”
Ojukwu and FIJ founder Fisayo Soyombo are accused of cyberstalking and criminal defamation over reports concerning Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja sent Ojukwu to Kuje on November 10, pending the bail hearing set for December 1.
Ojukwu pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge, which also lists Soyombo as a defendant.
The prosecution claims the reports left Orelope-Adefulire in fear of death, violence or bodily harm.
Police Inspector-General Olatunji Disu sought a bench warrant against Soyombo, but the court declined, holding that such an order cannot be made against a defendant who has not been brought before it.
Soyombo has said he will appear in court on December 1, even though he claims he was never served with the charge and proof of evidence.
The NGE argued that arresting and prosecuting journalists for their work casts doubt on the authorities’ commitment to free expression.
It said: “Investigative journalism is not a crime. Asking questions about public expenditure is not cyberstalking. Demanding accountability from public officials is not defamation.”
Public officials, the Guild said, must accept that the way they manage public resources is open to scrutiny.
It warned that journalists cannot perform their constitutional role if they face arrest, prosecution and imprisonment for exposing wrongdoing or asking difficult questions.
The Guild acknowledged that individuals may seek redress when they believe their reputations have been damaged, but cautioned against using that right to intimidate reporters or stifle investigations into public spending.
It also raised concern about the case’s chilling effect on investigative journalism in Nigeria.
It said: “When a journalist can be sent to prison over a report concerning alleged misuse of public funds, the message to other journalists is unmistakable: ‘investigate at your peril.’ Such an atmosphere is inimical to transparency, accountability and democratic governance.”
The NGE cited Sections 39 and 22 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantee freedom of expression and recognise the media’s duty to hold government accountable.
Also Read: “Our answered prayer”: Peller and Jarvis reveal baby’s gender
It urged the authorities to give effect to those provisions rather than leaving them as mere words.
The Guild tabled five demands, Ojukwu’s immediate release on bail pending trial, an end to the harassment of journalists, a review of the charges against Ojukwu and Soyombo, transparent handling of public-funds cases instead of intimidating reporters, and an end to the abuse of cybersecurity laws by the police and other agencies.
It also called on the judiciary to protect fundamental rights.
The statement added: “The Guild will not stand by while freedom of the press is eroded through intimidation, harassment and the misuse of the criminal justice system.”
Ojukwu was first arrested on May 1, 2024, over the same reports and held for 10 days before his release, which followed protests at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.
Orelope-Adefulire served as Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation from 2003 to 2011, then as Deputy Governor from 2011 to 2015 while still overseeing the ministry.
She became SSA to former President Muhammadu Buhari on SDG in 2016 and was retained by Tinubu. She held the position when the events leading to the case occurred.