Group demands immediate release of Daniel Ojukwu

A cvil rights group, Spaces for Change (S4C), has called for the immediate and unconditional release of Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation of Investigative Journalism (FIJ), who was arrested on May 1, 2024, and has been unlawfully detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos State.

The Executive Director of S4C, Victoria Ibezim-Ohaeri, described as unsettling, news that he was being held incommunicado in a clear violation of his fundamental human rights.

A recent update, she said, suggested that he was moved to the Threat Response Unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.

“This arrest, coming barely 24 hours after the celebration of World Press Freedom Day, constitutes an attack on the civic space, a deterioration of press freedom, and a threat to freedom of expression guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution. As a democratic country, a Gestapo arrest of this nature is completely out of line with our national laws and international human rights instruments, which Nigeria has voluntarily ratified.

“In the light of the above, we wish to state that the Constitution provides for a detained person to be charged to court within 24 hours (or 48 hours depending on the location) of his arrest. The arrest and detention of Ojukwu have completely elapsed the time frame provided by the Constitution,” she said.

The civil rights group, therefore, demanded his immediate and unconditional release, and an assurance by the police that they would desist from the arrest and harassment of journalists.

“We reiterate that the threat to one right is a threat to all rights, as no right exists in isolation. Accordingly, free speech and press freedom must be obeyed without exception,” the group added.