Fejiro Oliver: Court Summons Delta Police Over Journalist’s Detention

A Federal High Court sitting in Asaba, Delta State, has summoned the Nigeria Police Force to explain within 48 hours why detained journalist, Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver, should not be released unconditionally.

Justice F. A. Olubanjo issued the order on Thursday, October 2, following an ex parte application filed by the journalist’s counsel and human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong.

Oghenedoro, editor of Secret Reporters, has spent 16 days in police custody over allegations of cyberstalking. He was reportedly arrested at his office in Abuja on September 18, 2025, and later transferred to Asaba after a petition by Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori.

The petition accused the journalist of publishing “defamatory and inciting” materials against the governor, including online posts referring to him as ‘Governor Sheriff Amuneke of Delta State’.

Other complaints were said to have been filed against Fejiro by Senator Ede Dafinone (Delta Central) and Hon. Stella Oketete, Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, whose ministerial nomination by President Donald Trump was rejected by the Senate.

Effiong, alongside Austin Nyekigbe, Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (Udu Branch), told the court that the journalist has been held at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Asaba, without charge and has been denied access to his lawyers and family members.

After hearing submissions from counsel, Justice Olubanjo ordered the Deputy Commissioner of Police at the State CID, the Commissioner of Police, Delta State Command, CP Olufemi Abaniwonda, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Police Force to show cause within 48 hours why Fejiro should not be released unconditionally.

The police and the Delta governor have since been formally served with the enrolled court order.

The suit marked as FHC/ASB/CS/164/2025, was adjourned to October 9, for hearing.