Court remands FIJ journalist over reports on Buhari’s ex-aide

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday remanded Foundation for Investigative Journalism correspondent Daniel Ojukwu at the Kuje Correctional Centre over cyberstalking charges arising from investigative reports on a former presidential aide, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik ordered his remand until December 1, 2026, when the court is expected to hear his bail application, after the journalist pleaded not guilty to the 12-count charge.
A copy of the charge sheet marked FHC/ABJ/CR/486/2024 was made available to PUNCH Online on Tuesday.

It was designated ‘Inspector General of Police vs Daniel Ojukwu & Anor’, with former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, as the complainant, while Ojukwu and FIJ Founder, Fisayo Soyombo, were the defendants.

Ojukwu was arraigned on a 12-count charge, dated December 19, 2024, on cybercrime offences.

The FIJ journalist pleaded not guilty to all charges held against him.

In her ruling, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik remanded Ojukwu in prison custody until December 1, 2026, for the hearing of the bail application.

Appearing for the prosecution were Kunle Lawal, Tolulope Osho, Grace Baiyeshea and Marvelous Orji. Ayotunde Ogunleye, SAN, later came in but did not make an appearance.

Meanwhile, Atanda Kayode, Ayo Oluseye, Olaoluwa Ariyo and MBI Amosun appeared for the first defendant.

According to the charge sheet, the prosecutors claim Ojukwu’s stories put Orelope-Adefulire “in fear of death.”

Count one read, “That you DANIEL OJUKWU ‘M’ (25 Yrs.) and FISAYO SOYOMBO ‘M’ (39 Yrs.), sometime between 2023 and 2024, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did aid, abet, conspire, counsel or procure other to commit cyberstalking and you thereby commit an offence punishable under S.27(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024.”

Count two read, “That you DANIEL OJUKWU ‘M’ (25 Yrs.) and FISAYO SOYOMBO ‘M’ (39 Yrs.), on the 7th November 2023, in Nigeria within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court did knowingly or intentionally transmit or cause the transmission of communication through a computer system or network on your platform, the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) website: www.fij.ng wherein you averred: ‘Special Report: 2 Weeks Before End of Buhari’s Tenure, Special Assistant, Adefulire Paid a Restaurant N17.1m to Build Classrooms in Lagos. A Lot Was Amiss’ to bully, threaten or harass one Princess Adejoke O. Adefulire, wherein such communication places the said Princess Adejoke O. Adefulire in fear of death, violence or bodily harm and you thereby commit an offence punishable under S.24 (2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention etc.) Act 2015 (as amended) 2024,” among other counts.

The remand order was delivered two years after Ojukwu was abducted for 10 straight days by officers of the Nigeria Police Force over the same stories.

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The prosecution informed the court that Soyombo is at large and applied that a bench warrant be issued for him, but the court rejected the application, saying the second defendant had never been brought before it. Thus, it could not issue a bench warrant compelling his attendance in court.

After pleading not guilty, the prosecution requested the court that Ojukwu be remanded.

His counsel, thereafter, drew the court’s attention to the bail application pending before the court, but the same was turned down because the same was filed on Monday and not ripe for hearing.

Ojukwu’s counsel appealed to the court to allow him to continue with the same as he has not, hitherto, violated the terms of the administrative bail.

However, the court declined their plea and request on the ground that the charge was served on the first defendant long ago while the bail application was just filed yesterday.

PUNCH Online reports that Ojukwu was arrested on May 1, 2024, by men of the Intelligence Response Team.

The FIJ journalist was later taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti, Lagos State, where he was reportedly accused of violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act, and then transferred to the Nigeria Police Force – National Cybercrime Centre, in Abuja on Sunday, May 5, 2024.

Ojukwu was released after being held for 10 days following a protest held at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

According to FIJ, the NPF-NCCC has since withheld Ojukwu’s passport on the grounds that he would flee the country.

In a tweet via his X handle on Sunday, May 12, 2024, the then Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, giving the reason for seizing Ojukwu’s phone, stated, “The allegation is basically on alleged wrongful publication and cyber-related crime, suspected to have been committed with his phones and electronic gadgets, which became exhibits at that instance. So seizing and marking his gadgets as exhibits was not wrong. I am sure they must have been released to him on bond. It’s allowed.”

He added that the police are “investigating the petition and the issues raised in the said publication in the interest of the public. FIJ is to tender relevant documents and evidence in this regard because the complainant has tendered relevant documents. Our laws are sacrosanct and enforceable.”

In an interview with The PUNCH, Ojukwu recalled that he was detained alongside confessed murderers and fraudsters, and suffered a severe asthma attack that required urgent medical attention.