Home Human Rights Police Abduct FIJ Reporter, Daniel Ojukwu For Allegedly Violating The Cybercrime Act
Human RightsNews

Police Abduct FIJ Reporter, Daniel Ojukwu For Allegedly Violating The Cybercrime Act

902
Daniel Ojukwu

A dedicated journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Daniel Ojukwu, has been forcefully taken by the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) of the Inspector General of Police and is currently being held against his will at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti in Lagos.

A report by FIJ revealed that Ojukwu went missing on Wednesday, May 1, with his numbers switched off. His whereabouts were unknown to colleagues, family, and friends.

Ojukwu was immediately reported missing at the police stations where he was last seen. However, on Friday, a private detective hired by FIJ tracked the last active location of his phones to an address in Isheri Olofin, where they believed he was abducted.

His family learned he was detained at Panti and swiftly rushed to the station. However, the authorities declined to reveal the contact details of the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) on jurisdictional grounds as the case was beyond Lagos, the FIJ said.

“The arresting officers are part of the IG Monitoring Team. They said they will transfer him and others to Abuja when they arrest the other people on their watchlist in Lagos.”

Ojukwu has not been allowed access to his lawyers three days after his abduction. He is being detained for allegedly violating the 2015 Cybercrime Act in a November 2023 report.

The FIJ learned about Ojukwu’s abduction today, World Press Freedom Day. Ironically, he was also arrested precisely a year ago by men of the Area F Police in Lagos for asking them to stop punching a driver. 

These indicate a need for more government commitment to upholding press freedom in Nigeria. 

About The Author

Related Articles

Nigeria’s External borrowing
FinanceNews

Tinubu Government Delays Release of Signed Tax Acts to the Public

Four days after President Bola Tinubu announced the signing of four tax...

one-party state in Tinubu's administration
News

As Tinubu Urges Africa-Caribbean Unity in Saint Lucia, Over 272 Nigerians Killed in June Alone

While Nigerians deal with deadly violence, worsening hunger, and mass flooding, President...

BusinessNews

You Can’t Tax a Dead Economy: Nigeria Is Suffocating Under Its Own Policies

As Nigeria’s Central Bank clings to its benchmark interest rate of 27.5...

News

“Wike is Not a Blessing to Us, He’s a Disaster” — Workers Protest in Nigeria’s Capital Over Unpaid Wages, Poor Working Conditions

Staff members of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) in Abuja barricaded...