Journalist Fejiro Oliver has been detained since his arrest in Abuja on September 19, 2025, and human rights activists in Delta State have given the police a seven-hour ultimatum to release him immediately.
Oliver is being held on suspicion of cybercrime after being taken into custody in Abuja and sent to Asaba by Force Intelligence Department (FID) agents.
Before the seven hours had passed, they stipulated three requirements that had to be fulfilled: either he be released unconditionally, released right away, or he be arraigned in court to face the allegations the police allege they had against him.
At a press conference in Asaba on Wednesday, the three warned that “failure to act will force them to pursue other legal and civil avenues to secure his freedom.” They were Barr. Omes Ogedegbe, Director, General Confab for the Actualization of Human Rights; Comrade Dr. Akima Umukoro, President, UPU Youth Wing Worldwide; and Comr. Daniel Etaga, former President, Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC).
They claimed that in addition to being illegal, his ongoing detention is a glaring example of how the police are increasingly being utilized to further the personal agendas of influential people.
They voiced their alarm about the unsettling trend of several petitions being submitted against Fejiro Oliver, which they see as a part of a concerted effort to stifle his journalism and activism.
The police officers who were tasked with looking into these petitions now seem to be acting as complainants themselves, which they say is the most concerning.
The police are allegedly confronting Fejiro with his earlier Facebook posts, which aren’t even connected to any official petition, instead of serving as impartial investigators. This indicates a concerning pattern. Police officials are apparently looking for grounds to justify his detention after the fact rather than looking into legitimate concerns.
Barr. Ogedegbe claims that the police’s actions seriously breach both the law and the constitution.
“In every inquiry, law enforcement organizations are supposed to serve as unbiased umpires. However, it appears that in this instance, the cops have forsaken due process and are siding with one side, turning into tools of personal retaliation.
However, despite these efforts to weaken his determination, Fejiro Oliver is still in a positive frame of mind. His supporters think that the fact that the law is on his side and that public sentiment is slowly shifting against the police’s oppressive methods is what gives him strength.
The apparent plan to place Fejiro incommunicado after his detention is among the most startling elements of this case. He was only permitted restricted communication with a select group of people as a result of widespread public uproar.
They expressed regret that there doesn’t appear to be any intention of taking him to court, which begs the question of what the police are concealing and who they are defending.
His supporters have responded to this with a compelling query: Who is scared of Fejiro Oliver? Instead of looking into any claims in line with the law, why is the state apparatus being utilized to silence and isolate a journalist? Why wasn’t he arrested only after a comprehensive investigation if the accusations were true?
The 24- to 48-hour constitutional window for arraignment has long since passed. Any delay is unacceptable because the police headquarters is only a short walk from the court. The failure to arraign him or release him on bail cannot be attributed to logistical difficulties.
Fejiro, on the other hand, prides himself on being a “secret reporter,” a type of investigative journalism, according to Comrade Akima. “During this time, he spoke truth to power, and some people were offended by the level of information he was bringing to the public domain,” Akima said.
Naturally, they would claim that he had tarnished their reputation, which is what they typically classify as online bullying or stalking. The accusations that have been leaking out are reflected in what we witnessed today.
Numerous people have been submitting petitions, which is now creating an opportunity for even the police to falsify them. Based on our findings today, police officers who should be in charge of the case and look into the complaints as disclosed by their real complainants now appear to be the complainants themselves.
“Fejiro Oliver was questioned about a number of his Facebook posts, and none of these accusations have anything to do with petitions. This means that, in my opinion, the police will simply visit his Facebook page, gather information, and confront him with it—even if there isn’t a petition pending in that respect. We are now starting to realize that, even if they are inundated with a number of petitions, the police should appear to be looking into the claims made by the complainants if they wish to serve as umpires as required by law. However, we are not bothered.
However, Etaga claimed that Fejiro has remained imprisoned in Delta State, igniting indignation over what detractors see as a flagrant abuse of authority by Nigerian police and state actors.
Oliver is still being held in jail despite demands for his quick release from civil society organizations and supporters of press freedom.
“The development has brought up important issues regarding Nigeria’s declining civic space, misuse of governmental power over law enforcement, and free expression.
Oliver’s ongoing incarceration highlights a concerning pattern in Delta State: the use of police as weapons against dissidents. Such authoritarian tendencies will weaken democracy, suppress journalists, and increase the culture of fear if they are not restrained.
Fejiro Oliver is no longer at the center of this debate; rather, it concerns whether regular Nigerians still have the freedom to challenge authority without fear of incarceration. First of all, Fejiro was only given permission to breathe after we protested,” Etaga cautioned.
