Nigerian court orders journalist kept in custody over report, renewing concerns over media freedom

Abuja, Nigeria witnessed a surge of outrage following a Nigerian court's decision to detain investigative journalist Daniel Ojukwu. The Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) member was imprisoned on 12 counts for alleged violation of Nigeria's cybercrime act, awaiting a bail hearing. The court's ruling came on Tuesday.

Ojukwu's arrest stems from a report alleging financial mismanagement involving over 147 million naira ($109,000) by a senior government official, according to court documents. He was initially detained in Lagos in 2024 for the same story before being moved to Abuja. He was ultimately released following public pressure from human rights organizations.

The court scheduled a bail hearing for Ojukwu on December 1, 2024, meaning he will remain in Kuje prison until then. The incident has reignited concerns over media freedom in Nigeria. The country holds a modest ranking of 112th out of 180 nations in the 2026 World Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders, a slight improvement from 2025.

Since the cybercrimes law was enacted in 2015, at least 29 journalists have faced prosecution under the law, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists in October 2024. Amnesty International condemned the arrest, expressing serious concerns about the use of judicial processes to intimidate journalists and undermine freedom of expression and media freedom in Nigeria.