THE Nigeria Police Force is set to arraign Friday Alefia, a journalist detained for more than six weeks without trial, on alleged cybercrime charges.
Alefia is expected to appear before Obiora Egwuatu, a judge of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Wednesday, November 12.
According to a report by Premium Times, Alefia, publisher of the online newspaper Naija News Today (formerly Asiwaju Media), was arrested on September 23 in Lagos after police operatives traced a phone linked to his house caretaker to his residence in Ikorodu.
He was subsequently transferred to Abuja and has since been held at the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) facility despite repeated pleas from his family and lawyers for his release or arraignment.
The ICIR reports that under Nigerian Constitution, the police are not permitted to detain any suspect for more than 48 hours without charging them to court. This provision is enshrined in Section 35(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which states that any person arrested or detained in connection with an alleged offence “shall be brought before a court of law within a reasonable time,” defined as 24 hours where a court is within a 40-kilometre radius, and 48 hours or such longer as in the circumstances may be considered by the court to be reasonable.”
Family members said Alefia’s health had deteriorated during detention, forcing the police to take him to the hospital twice at the family’s expense.
A relative, Chijioke Alefia, alleged that the journalist was being victimised for publishing reports critical of a federal lawmaker, Chinedu Ogah, who represents the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State.
“Friday is a journalist and also a constituent. He voted and has the right to question his representation,” Alefia said.
A five-count charge filed by the police at the Federal High Court Abuja (Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/53/2025) against Alefia and Asiwaju Media Company Ltd, accused them of using online platforms, including Facebook, to publish what the police describe as false and damaging reports against the lawmaker.
The charges include several reports about the lawmaker. One of the reports was titled, “How Federal Lawmaker Ogah Snatches Village Land in Ebonyi,” which the police described as false. Another count accuses Alefia of posting a statement on Facebook quoting Mr Ogah as saying, “I rigged senatorial poll against Emmanuel Onwe.”
All charges, according to the prosecution, violate Section 24(2)(a) of the Cybercrimes Amendment Act and are punishable under Section 24(2)(c)(i).
In Nigeria, concerns over press freedom have escalated in recent years. Journalists have faced arrests, physical assaults, and threats while carrying out their constitutional duty, particularly on issues involving security agencies, corruption, and human rights violations.
Laws such as the Cybercrimes Act have been used to clamp down on dissenting voices, including journalists.
The 2024 data by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) placed Nigeria as one of West Africa’s most dangerous and difficult countries for journalists.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M