Soyombo to appear in court December 1

Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Daniel Ojukwu, an investigative journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), following his arraignment at the Federal High Court, Abuja, over alleged cyberstalking and criminal defamation.

However, the founder of FIJ, Fisayo Soyombo, will appear before the Federal High Court in Abuja on December 1 for arraignment over reports published by the organisation, despite the police having yet to serve him with the criminal charge and evidence.

Ojukwu was arraigned on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, on 12 counts and remanded until December 1 for a bail hearing.
T
he charges reportedly stem from investigative reports published in 2023 and 2024 concerning public expenditure by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs).

In a statement signed by its National President, Alhassan Yahya, the NUJ also called for the withdrawal of all charges against Ojukwu and Soyombo.

The union expressed concern over the recurring use of the Cybercrimes Act and criminal defamation laws by security agencies to intimidate journalists and suppress press freedom.

It recalled that Ojukwu was abducted by police operatives and detained for 10 days in May 2024 over the same investigative reports.

The NUJ warned that prolonged detention and prosecution of journalists over reports on matters of public interest could create an atmosphere of fear in the media and undermine democratic accountability.