The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has condemned the remand of Daniel Ojukwu, a reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), and called for his immediate release.
The Federal High Court in Abuja on 10 November 2026 ordered Ojukwu’s remand at the Kuje Custodial Centre after he pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge of alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation. The court fixed 1 December for the hearing of his bail application.
The charges stem from investigative reports on public expenditure on projects linked to presidential aide Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, RULAAC said keeping the journalist in custody for three weeks before his bail hearing risked turning pretrial detention into punishment.
“Ojukwu is presumed innocent. Keeping him in custody for three weeks before his bail application is heard risks turning pretrial detention into punishment,” the statement said.
The group noted that the aide had other options open to her if she disagreed with the reports. “If Ms Orelope-Adefulire believes the reports are inaccurate, she can publicly address the findings. If she believes they defamed her, she can seek redress through the civil courts,” it said, adding that “the public deserves answers to the questions raised about how its money was spent.”
RULAAC urged the Federal High Court to bring forward the bail hearing and grant Ojukwu bail. It also called on the Attorney-General of the Federation to urgently review the prosecution and take steps to discontinue the charges.
The organisation further demanded that the Nigeria Police Force “must stop using cyberstalking and criminal defamation charges to intimidate journalists and others who scrutinise the conduct of public officials.”
Nwanguma said the case carries consequences beyond the individual journalist, affecting journalists, human rights defenders, bloggers and active citizens alike.
“When a reporter is detained for asking how public money was spent, others may think twice before investigating abuse, documenting violations or speaking out,” the statement said. “The public loses access to information it needs to hold those in power accountable. An injury to one is an injury to all.”
The statement was issued under the hashtags #ReleaseFIJ-OjukwuNow and #endorsedbyCCEPE.
Ojukwu’s bail hearing is scheduled for 1 December 2026.
