The Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative reporter with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism, FIJ, following his remand in prison custody over reports scrutinising public expenditure.
In a statement signed by its National President, Alhassan Yahaya, the union expressed grave concern over Ojukwu’s continued detention and prosecution.
The journalist was arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, on 12 counts of alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation.
Following the arraignment, the court remanded Ojukwu until December 1, 2026, for his bail hearing, a 21-day incarceration linked to investigative reports published in 2023 and 2024 regarding spending by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs).
Joining local and international rights organisations, the NUJ called for the total withdrawal of all charges filed against Ojukwu as well as FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo.
“Journalism is a constitutionally mandated public service, not a crime,” Yahaya stated.
“Deploying the apparatus of the criminal justice system to punish reporters for scrutinizing public spending undermines the very foundations of Nigeria’s democracy,” it stated.
The union cautioned the Nigeria Police Force and other state security agencies against what it described as the recurring weaponisation of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws to harass, abduct, and silence media practitioners.
The NUJ noted that Ojukwu had previously endured a 10-day abduction by police operatives in May 2024 over the exact same investigative work.
Yahaya reminded prosecuting authorities and security agencies that press freedom and the mandate to hold the government accountable are explicitly guaranteed under Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
He added that Nigeria is bound by regional and international treaties, including Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Subjecting investigative journalists to prolonged pre-trial detention over stories of overriding public interest creates a chilling climate of fear across the media landscape,” the NUJ president warned.
Reaffirming its solidarity with Ojukwu, the management of FIJ, and journalists committed to transparency, the union urged the Federal Government, the Inspector-General of Police, and the judiciary to uphold the rule of law.
“We urge authorities to respect press freedom and ensure that media professionals can discharge their constitutional duties without fear of arrest, detention, or persecution,” the statement concluded.
NUJ demands immediate release of FIJ reporter, Daniel Ojukwu