- Coalition of 17 Media, Civil Society Organisations Condemn ‘Chilling Attack’ on Press Freedom, Call For End To Criminalisation of Investigative Journalism
By Chinwendu Agoha (Media & Governance Correspondent)
A coalition of media and civil society organisations has demanded the immediate release of investigative journalist, Daniel Ojukwu, who was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on Wednesday over his reports on public spending by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs).
The groups, in a joint statement by 17 organisations including the International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), BudgIT, and the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), described the remand as a “dangerous attack on press freedom and democratic accountability.”
Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was arraigned on a 12-count charge relating to his 2023 and 2024 investigative reports. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
The Federal High Court, presided over by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, ordered that he remain in custody until December 1, 2026, when his bail application will be heard. The court declined a request to continue the existing administrative bail pending the hearing, despite his counsel informing the court that Ojukwu had complied with all conditions.
The media groups, in their statement, said the appropriate response to investigative journalism should never be intimidation, detention, or criminal prosecution.
“Mr Ojukwu must not be punished for doing his job. His immediate release is imperative, and the criminalisation of investigative journalism must end,” the statement read.
The coalition noted that the reports at the centre of the prosecution raised legitimate questions about public expenditure, including payments of N147.1 million and N47.5 million for classroom construction projects, as well as concerns about the functionality of solar installations reportedly completed under the projects.
“These are legitimate matters of public interest that demand transparency and accountability,” the groups said. “Public officials and institutions entrusted with public resources must be open to scrutiny and prepared to provide explanations about their decisions.”
The statement expressed alarm that this is not the first time Ojukwu has faced detention over the same reporting. In May 2024, he was arrested and detained for 10 days before his release following public outcry.
“The renewed prosecution and his latest remand continue to raise serious concerns about a pattern of harassment capable of undermining press freedom and creating a climate of fear among investigative journalists,” the groups warned.
They emphasised that the implications extend beyond Ojukwu and FIJ, noting that when a journalist can be detained over reports examining the management of public funds, every journalist, newsroom, whistleblower, and citizen engaged in demanding accountability is placed at risk.
“A society in which journalists are afraid to investigate public institutions is a society in which corruption, abuse of power, and impunity can thrive unchecked,” the statement added.
The coalition called on the relevant authorities to secure the immediate release of Daniel Ojukwu and ensure he is granted bail pending the determination of the charges against him; discontinue the use of criminal prosecution to intimidate journalists for legitimate investigative reporting; end the misuse of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation provisions as instruments for suppressing freedom of expression.
They also demand from the authorities to
ensure the safety and protection of journalists against harassment, intimidation, arbitrary arrest, and reprisals; guarantee transparency and accountability in public expenditure by addressing the substantive questions raised in the FIJ investigations.
The groups reminded the Nigerian government of its obligations under Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution, Article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“Press freedom is not a privilege granted at the discretion of public officials but a fundamental democratic guarantee,” the statement said. “The Nigerian government cannot credibly profess commitment to transparency, anti-corruption, and democratic governance while journalists who investigate public expenditure face detention and criminal prosecution.”
As of press time, the Nigerian government has yet to respond to the coalition’s demands. Ojukwu remains in custody at Kuje Correctional Centre until the December 2026 bail hearing. NNL.
