Nigeria: Detention of investigative journalist: Daniel Ojukwu is a journalist affiliated with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), and his freedom is being demanded by prominent individuals and activists in Nigeria’s opposition. The Nigerian police arrested Ojukwu last Wednesday in Lagos on charges of breaking Nigeria’s cybercrime laws. It has been reported that he was later transferred to the National Cybercrime Centre of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF-NCCC).
The investigative piece the writer wrote in November that examined the acts of a senior government official is reportedly related to his detention, according to FIJ. Police in Nigeria have confirmed Daniel Ojukwu’s custody and said that he is being investigated in response to a petition (the identity of the petitioner was not revealed).
On various social media channels, members of Mr. Ojukwu’s family, as well as civil society and media advocacy groups, have been calling for his quick release. Atiku Abubakar, a prominent member of the Nigerian opposition and a former vice president, denounced the detention, stressing the importance of journalists in maintaining government transparency.
As the world celebrated #WorldPressFreedomDay on May 3, Amnesty International described the incarceration as “draconian,” drawing attention to the case. The most populous country in Africa, Nigeria, ranks 112th out of 180 nations in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) World Press Freedom Index.
