(DDM) – A Federal High Court in Asaba has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to provide legal justification for the prolonged detention of journalist Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver.
Diaspora Digital Media (DDM) gathered that Justice F. A. Olubanjo, while ruling on an ex parte motion brought before the court, directed the police to explain within 48 hours why the detained journalist should not be released unconditionally.
The motion was filed by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, who argued that Fejiro’s continued incarceration violates his constitutional rights.
Fejiro, the editor of Secret Reporters, was arrested on September 18, 2025, at his office in Abuja by operatives of the Nigeria Police.
Reports indicate that the arrest followed a petition allegedly submitted by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.
The journalist, known for his strong criticisms of political leaders, has now spent 16 days in police custody without trial, with authorities accusing him of cyberstalking.
The judge’s directive is widely seen as a critical test of the tension between press freedom and state power in Nigeria.
Human rights activists say the case highlights a disturbing pattern of journalists facing harassment, arrests, and legal intimidation for publishing stories critical of politicians.
Background details reveal that Nigeria’s Cybercrime Act, often invoked in such cases, has been criticized by rights groups as a tool frequently used to muzzle free speech and target journalists.
Observers note that Fejiro’s case is not the first of its kind. Several journalists and activists in recent years have been arrested under similar charges, sparking public debate over the boundaries of online expression and the misuse of cyber laws.
Legal experts argue that the police may struggle to justify holding Fejiro without trial for more than two weeks, given constitutional provisions guaranteeing liberty and freedom of expression.
Effiong, in his submission, insisted that the detention amounted to persecution of a journalist for performing his watchdog role in a democracy.
Civil society organizations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and local press unions, are monitoring the case closely, warning that Nigeria’s democratic values will be undermined if the judiciary fails to uphold press freedom.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Police Force has yet to officially respond to the court’s directive, but sources suggest that justification may center on the cyberstalking allegations and the governor’s petition.
As the 48-hour deadline approaches, the case continues to draw national attention, with many Nigerians on social media demanding Fejiro’s immediate release.
The ruling, according to analysts, could set a major precedent for the protection of journalists in Nigeria, particularly in the digital era where investigative reporting increasingly collides with political sensitivities.