Get Guardian on GoogleJustice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered the remand of Daniel Ojukwu, a correspondent with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), at the Kuje Correctional Custodial Centre over stories published in 2024.
The judge ordered that Ojukwu be remanded until December 1, 2026, in a criminal suit filed against him by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
The IGP, in a criminal suit marked FHC/ABJ/CR/486/2024, dated September 19, 2024, filed a 12-count charge against Ojukwu and Fisayo Soyombo.
Ojukwu pleaded not guilty to all the counts charged to him.
In the charge, the defendants were accused of writing a series of stories in 2024 about Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, the Senior Special Assistant on Sustainable Development Goals (SSAP-SDGs) to the late President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ojukwu was accused of defaming Orelope-Adefulire through the stories. The prosecution alleged that the publications put Orelope-Adefulire “in fear of death”.
Part of the charge read: “That you, Daniel Ojukwu M (25 Yrs.) and Fisayo Soyombo M’ (39 Yrs.) on or the 3rd December 2023, in 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. ‘How Orelope Adefulire’s OSSAP-SDGs Paid N47.5m for Shady Contract on Amosun’s request 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.'”
The police said the alleged offence was punishable under Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition and Prevention, etc.) Act 2015, as amended in 2024.
Kunle Lawal, Tolulope Osho, Grace Baiyeshea and Marvelous Orji appeared for the prosecution, while Ayotunde Ogunleye (SAN) later joined the proceedings but did not announce his appearance.
Atanda Kayode, Ayo Oluseye, Olaoluwa J. Ariyo and MBI Amosun appeared for the first defendant.
The prosecution informed the court that the second defendant, Soyombo, founder of FIJ, was at large and applied for a bench warrant to be issued against him.
The court declined the application, stating that the second defendant had never been brought before it and, therefore, it could not issue a bench warrant compelling his appearance.
Following Ojukwu’s plea of not guilty, the prosecution asked the court to remand him.
Counsel to the first defendant drew the court’s attention to a bail application pending before it. However, the application was not considered because it was filed the previous day and was not yet ripe for hearing.
The defence counsel urged the court to consider that Ojukwu had not, at any time, violated the conditions of his administrative bail.
He consequently prayed the court to allow him to continue enjoying the administrative bail.
However, the court declined the request, stating that the charge had been served on the first defendant long before the bail application was filed.
The court subsequently adjourned the matter until December 1, 2026, for hearing of the bail application and ordered that Ojukwu be remanded at the Kuje Correctional Custodial Centre.
