A NIGERIAN legal and human rights firm, Deji Adeyanju & Partners, has petitioned the United States Embassy in Abuja to impose a visa ban on the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, over alleged human rights violations and suppression of free speech.
In a letter dated February 4, addressed to the US Ambassador, the law firm accused Adejobi of using his position to silence critics, unlawfully detain citizens, and justify police brutality.
The petition also condemned Adejobi’s public statements, including a tweet from March 29, 2023, where he claimed that “hurling insults at police officers carrying out their legal duty is criminal and punishable by Nigerian law.”
The law firm argued that such remarks encouraged authoritarian policing and violated fundamental rights.
The petition cited multiple cases where Nigerians were arrested and detained on Adejobi’s directive for merely expressing their views online.
In one of the highlighted cases, the firm noted that a TikToker, Destiny Ekhorutomwem, was arrested for cyberbullying and cyberstalking following Adejobi’s orders.
The petition said Ekhorutomwem was given stringent bail conditions requiring four sureties with assets worth N2 billion, adding that while in custody, he reportedly collapsed and was rushed to the National Hospital in Abuja.
Despite his poor medical condition, the petition noted that Adejobi allegedly denied him necessary care.
According to a report by FIJ, the NPF arrested the Ekhorutomwem in Benin City, Edo state, on December 8, 2024, for cyberbullying and cyberstalking.
He was consequently transferred to Abuja on January 10 and was later told to provide four sureties with assets worth N2 billion as part of his administrative bail conditions on the same day.
However, he couldn’t meet the bail conditions, leading to his prolonged detention.
FIJ reported that Ekhurutomwem collapsed in custody on Saturday, February 1, and was first treated at the police clinic before being transferred to the National Hospital. He was later granted bail due to health concerns, with only one surety required instead of four.
Similarly, the petition mentioned the case of one activist and nurse Olamide Thomas, who was arrested in December 2024 after posting a video on social media criticising President Bola Tinubu and the police.
The ICIR reports that she was subsequently granted bail of N10 million by the Federal High Court, Abuja on Monday, January 6.
Thomas’ arrest and detention were described as a direct attack on freedom of expression by the firm.
Another case involved a Nigerian citizen, Charles Uche Ihedioha, who was allegedly detained for a Twitter comment.
According to the petition, Adejobi ordered the ‘unlawful’ detention of Ihedioha, and when his father, Nathaniel Ihedioha, visited the police station to see him, officers who granted him entry were also detained.
“In addition to his crackdown on free speech, Adejobi has continued to defend and enable police brutality in Nigeria. In a recent report, he justified excessive force used by officers and dismissed calls for accountability, further proving his complicity in the continued abuse of Nigerian citizens.
His persistent refusal to hold officers accountable has fostered a culture of impunity within the Nigeria Police Force, where human rights violations are met with silence or outright endorsement.
“These public statements demonstrate ACP Adejobi’s opposition to free speech, a core democratic value upheld by the United States. His position encourages authoritarian policing and suppresses dissent, contributing to an environment of fear and intimidation in Nigeria,” the petition added.
Deji Adeyanju & Partners urged the US government to extend the visa ban to Adejobi’s immediate family, arguing that such action would serve as a deterrent against further human rights violations.
While both the Nigerian Police Force and Adejobi have yet to officially respond to these allegations, the petition has sparked reactions about the police’s continued alleged suppression of dissents in Nigeria and the need for urgent action against the practice.
Other cases of unprofessionalism linked to Adejobi
Beyond allegations of misconduct, concerns have also been raised about unprofessionalism by the Force’s spokesperson
The ICIR had in 2024, reported several instances where Adejobi made controversial remarks that sparked public outrage.
In January 2024, as the country grappled with a surge in kidnappings, Adejobi dismissed many reported cases as ‘staged’ or ‘fake.’
“Most of the kidnapping cases we read online are not real. They are either staged and (sic) faked. We analyse security situations based on empirical facts and figures,” he said.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: umustapha@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M