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October 20, 2025 – Nigeria –
Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) has raised serious concerns over the continued detention of journalist and activist Fejiro Oliver in Delta State, pointing to what it calls a “coordinated effort” by state actors to bypass judicial rulings and suppress critical journalism.
On 16 October 2025, a Federal High Court in Asaba granted bail to Fejiro Oliver in a case brought by the Delta State government. However, while he was arranging bail terms, the state government allegedly secured a reproduction warrant for re-arraignment before a Magistrate’s Court in Asaba. NACAT described the tactic as “judicial window-shopping” and a breach of jurisdictional norms.
According to NACAT, the pattern fits broader interference: the journalist’s organization had previously filed petitions against a former governor with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and his detention appears tied to his advocacy and reporting. NACAT argues that rather than amending charges in the superior court, authorities sought to initiate parallel proceedings in a lower court, thereby keeping Oliver in custody despite bail.
The group announced plans to submit formal petitions to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and foreign diplomatic missions seeking visa bans and international action against judicial officials allegedly complicit in the process. NACAT accused the state judiciary of being used as a tool to “undermine superior court orders” and intimidate journalists.
NACAT’s statement underscores the wider stakes: the allegations point not just to one case, but to systemic threats against press freedom and the rule of law in Nigeria. Oliver remains behind bars while the process plays out, with the group warning that failure to enforce due process could further erode public trust in judicial independence.
Reference –
https://guardian.ng/news/nacat-to-petition-njc-foreign-embassies-over-detained-journalist/
