UK-based Nigerian blogger Maureen Badejo has been released after spending over a month in detention at Kurokimi Prison, in a case described by activist Omoyele Sowore as an example of “lawfare” in Nigeria’s justice system.
Sowore, who confirmed her release, said Badejo’s incarceration followed what he alleged was a coordinated effort involving prominent religious leaders, Johnson Suleman and Daniel Olukoya.
“This afternoon, UK-based blogger Maureen Badejo was released from unjust incarceration after spending over a month in prison,” Sowore said, adding that her ordeal marked “the end of a troubling chapter of lawfare.”
According to him, Badejo’s case illustrates the weaponisation of legal processes to intimidate and punish individuals without conviction. He described lawfare as “the deliberate manipulation of the law to punish citizens who have not been tried, let alone convicted.”
Badejo’s legal troubles reportedly began in February 2026, when she was arrested in Lagos and arraigned before a Magistrate’s Court. Although bail was granted, Sowore alleged that the conditions attached made it difficult for her to secure immediate release, resulting in prolonged detention.
While in custody, she was allegedly subjected to further humiliation, including the circulation of degrading videos and images.
The situation escalated when she was re-arraigned before Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court in Lagos on similar charges. Despite presenting herself voluntarily, she was returned to custody after her bail hearing was delayed.
When bail was eventually approved, the conditions requiring sureties with landed property in specific parts of Lagos reportedly proved challenging. Sowore further alleged that police prosecutors frustrated the process by repeatedly rejecting submitted sureties, thereby prolonging her detention.
He added that even after meeting the bail conditions, procedural delays, including the alleged unavailability of the presiding judge to sign her release order, extended her stay in custody.
“The objective of this entire process is clear. It is not justice, but punishment through procedure,” Sowore said.
Badejo, a controversial blogger based in the United Kingdom, has been known for her outspoken commentary on religious leaders and public figures, often using social media platforms to air allegations and criticisms. Her online activities have previously caused disputes and legal threats from individuals she has accused of misconduct.
In Nigeria, concerns have been growing among civil rights advocates over the increasing use of cybercrime laws and defamation suits against bloggers, journalists, and social media commentators. Critics argue that such legal tools are sometimes deployed to suppress dissent and limit freedom of expression, while authorities maintain that they are necessary to curb misinformation and protect reputations.
The term “lawfare,” as referenced by Sowore, has gained traction in recent years to describe situations in which legal systems are allegedly used as instruments of harassment or political pressure rather than for genuine justice. #Securitynewsalert.com
