Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, has called for the immediate release of Foundation for Investigative Journalism reporter, Daniel Ojukwu, who was remanded at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja pending the hearing of his bail application.
Sowore made the demand in a statement posted on his X account on Tuesday, expressing concern over what he described as prolonged detention of journalists and delays in the hearing of bail applications.
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He criticised the decision of the Federal High Court in Abuja to keep Ojukwu in custody until December 1, 2026, when his bail application is scheduled to be heard.
Describing the development as unacceptable, the human rights activist said it was wrong to keep a defendant in prison for 21 days merely to await a hearing on bail.
“Remanding a journalist who is not on the run for 21 days merely to hear a bail application is unacceptable and wicked!” Sowore wrote.
Ojukwu had pleaded not guilty to a 12-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime offences, including cyberstalking.
The charge, dated December 19, 2024, is marked FHC/ABJ/CR/486/2024.
Former Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, is listed as the complainant, while Ojukwu and FIJ founder, Fisayo Soyombo, are named as defendants.
The prosecution alleged that the journalists conspired to commit cyberstalking and transmitted reports published on the FIJ website that allegedly caused presidential aide, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, to fear death, violence or bodily harm.
Orelope-Adefulire previously served as Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation between 2003 and 2011, before becoming deputy governor from 2011 to 2015.
She later served as Senior Special Assistant to former President Muhammadu Buhari on Sustainable Development Goals and retained the position under President Bola Tinubu.
One of the charges specifically concerns an FIJ investigation published on November 7, 2023, titled, “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.”
During Tuesday’s proceedings, the prosecution told the court that Soyombo was at large and requested a bench warrant for his arrest.
However, the judge rejected the request, noting that the second defendant had not previously been brought before the court.
After Ojukwu entered his plea, the prosecution requested that he be remanded in custody.
His lawyers drew the court’s attention to a pending bail application and asked that he be allowed to remain on administrative bail, arguing that he had complied with all the conditions attached to his release.
The judge declined the request, observing that the charge had been served on Ojukwu long before his bail application was filed on Monday.
The court consequently fixed December 1 for the hearing.
Reacting to the ruling, Sowore described the remand as “punishment before conviction”, arguing that it undermined the constitutional presumption of innocence and the right to personal liberty.
He said the practice of keeping defendants in custody for extended periods while they await bail proceedings was becoming increasingly common in Federal High Courts.
Sowore questioned why defendants should remain behind bars while waiting for an opportunity to seek bail, stressing that the judicial system should safeguard citizens against arbitrary detention.
He also appealed directly to the presiding judge, Justice Abdulmalik, to reconsider Ojukwu’s situation, insisting that a journalist should not spend 21 days in prison simply waiting for a bail hearing.
The AAC presidential candidate further called for scrutiny of the activities of the Nigeria Police Force’s National Cybercrime Centre, headed by Assistant Inspector-General of Police Akayinne Ezima, particularly its handling of cybercrime-related investigations.
The courts are supposed to protect citizens against arbitrary detention, not become instruments for prolonging it.
Judicial discretion must never become a licence for judicial oppression, he said.
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Sowore ended his statement with a direct appeal for the journalist’s release, declaring, “FREE DANIEL OJUKWU NOW!”
Peculiar Adirika is a journalist and contributor to Freelanews.com, covering news, business, and public affairs.
