SERAP calls for release of detained FIJ journalist Daniel Ojukwu

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project,SERAP, has called connected President Bola Tinubu to intervene successful the detention of Foundation for Investigative Journalism reporter, Daniel Ojukwu, who is being held astatine the Kuje Correctional Centre successful Abuja.

The organisation wants Tinubu and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to guarantee the journalist's contiguous merchandise and halt the usage of transgression defamation and cyberstalking laws against journalists investigating alleged corruption.

Ojukwu was remanded connected Tuesday by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court successful Abuja pursuing his arraignment connected 12 charges bordering connected alleged cyberstalking and transgression defamation.

He pleaded not blameworthy to the charges, but the tribunal ordered his remand pending the proceeding of his bail application, which was adjourned until December 1, 2026.

The lawsuit is linked to investigative reports published by FIJ successful 2023 and January 2024, which examined alleged spending by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President connected Sustainable Development Goals, OSSAP-SDGs.

The reports questioned payments of N147.1 cardinal and N47.5 cardinal for schoolroom projects and raised concerns that star panels installed astatine immoderate of the facilities reportedly stopped moving soon aft they were completed.

SERAP besides wants the authorities to discontinue what it described arsenic the...