Daniel Ojukwu.
The Nigeria Police have for one week detained Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist, without being brought to court, over alleged violation of the country’s cyber crime laws, his employer said, in a case that press freedom groups have condemned as an affront to media freedoms.
Under Nigerian law, suspects must be brought to court within 48 hours of their arrest or be released.
Daniel Ojukwu went missing on May 1, his employer, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) disclosed. But the Nigerian media outlet was only informed about his arrest two days after police detained him.
The privately owned FIJ said the reporter’s arrest was linked to a November story about government corruption.
The story alleged that Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, senior special assistant to the president on sustainable development goals, put $106,154 of government money for school construction into a restaurant’s bank account.
International press freedom groups have called for the journalist’s immediate release.
Said Angela Quintal, head of the Africa programme at the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) in a statement: “Nigerian authorities must promptly and unconditionally release journalist Daniel Ojukwu and stop harassing and detaining journalists who publish investigative reports into corruption. This is no way to treat journalists who are performing a public service.”
Ojukwu had first been detained in Lagos but was later transferred to the capital, Abuja.
Ojukwu’s arrest came not long after more than a dozen armed military men took another journalist, Segun Olatunji, from his home without any explanation in mid-March, press freedom groups said. The Defense Intelligence Agency released Olatunji after two weeks.
Reporters Without Borders (RSF), considers Nigeria among the most dangerous environments for journalists in West Africa. Earlier this month, RSF ranked Nigeria 112 out of 180 countries in terms of press freedom.
