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November 26, 2025 – Nigeria –
Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) called for the immediate release of journalist Friday James Alefia, who has been detained since September on cybercrime charges tied to his reporting on governmental corruption and land-grabbing allegations.
According to the charge sheet reviewed by CPJ, Alefia, publisher of the online outlet Naija News Today, faces five counts, including “making false statements” via media and social-media platforms under the provisions of the Cybercrimes Act. He was arrested at his home in Ikorodu, Lagos State, and transferred to a detention facility in Gudu, Abuja. Police also confiscated his phone and laptop.
The reports that triggered the arrest accused a high-ranking lawmaker of involvement in extortion, electoral fraud, and real estate corruption. On October 8, Alefia and his media company were officially charged. During a court hearing on November 12, Alefia pleaded not guilty — and remains imprisoned at Kuje Prison. The next hearing is scheduled for January 27, 2026.
CPJ’s Africa director, Angela Quintal, condemned the move, saying the detention reflects a troubling pattern of criminalizing journalism rather than tackling corruption. She called on Nigerian authorities to drop the charges immediately and end their use of cybercrime legislation as a tool for silencing dissent.
This case is part of a broader crackdown: since August 2025, multiple Nigerian journalists have been held under cybercrime or defamation charges for their investigative reporting — despite recent reforms to the Cybercrimes Act.
The imprisonment of Alefia sends a chilling signal ahead of Nigeria’s forthcoming national elections. It threatens press freedom by creating a landscape where critical reportage and transparency-driven journalism may be punished under vague legal pretexts. In its current state, the legal environment undermines the ability of the media to hold power to account — a core pillar of democratic governance.
Reference –
Nigerian authorities detain another journalist for cybercrimes over governance reports
