Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) don call on authorities for Nigeria to immediately drop di criminal charges against journalist Daniel Ojukwu, release am without condition, and stop di habit of using court to punish journalists for doing their work.
On November 10, one federal court for Abuja remand Ojukwu, wey be correspondent for di privately owned Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), to Kuje Custodial Centre until December 1. Di remand na on cybercrime and criminal defamation charges, according to copy of di charge sheet wey CPJ review. Ojukwu, wey travel from Lagos state for di hearing, plead not guilty to di 12 counts against am.
FIJ founder and award-winning journalist Fisayo Soyombo dey face di same charges. E no dey court, but FIJ lawyers Oluseye Ayo Moore and Abimbola Ojenike tell CPJ say dem expect am at di next hearing. Moore tell CPJ say di case adjourn until December 1 to give prosecutors time to respond to di bail application wey di defence file.
CPJ director for Africa Angela Quintal talk say authorities must quickly drop di charges against Ojukwu and Soyombo, and repeal laws wey dey criminalize journalism. She add say Nigeria cybercrime and criminal laws don too often become tool to target journalists, and with elections approaching, authorities must no ignore how di charges dey affect press freedom and journalists’ ability to report freely and without fear.
CPJ research wey dem do in October 2024 find say at least 29 journalists don face prosecution under Nigeria cybercrimes law since dem enact am in 2015. Di charges against Ojukwu and Soyombo link to four investigations FIJ publish between late 2023 and early 2024. Di reports uncover some suspicious government contracts by di office of di special presidential assistant on di Sustainable Development Goals, Princess Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire. FIJ lawyers also link di case to Ojukwu secret arrest and 10-day detention in 2024.
Orelope-Adefulire lawyer Muiz Banire tell CPJ by phone on November 11 say journalists suppose practice responsible journalism. E talk say: “Let them show you that what they published about my client is correct.” CPJ calls and text messages to Orelope-Adefulire to ask for comment no get answer.
