10/10/2025
Police Amend Cyberstalking Charges Against Journalist Fejiro Oliver; Court Adjourns Fundamental Rights Suit
โThe Delta State Police Command, on Thursday, amended the two-count cyberstalking charge initially filed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP) against investigative journalist Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver, at the Federal High Court 2, Asaba.
โThe original charges had been instituted over a series of Facebook posts by Oliver that the police deemed โdefamatoryโ towards Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and the Senator representing Delta Central, Ede Dafinone.
โโThe amended chargesโnow filed as FHC/ASB/163c/2025 and FHC/ASB/164c/2025โwere signed by CSP Gladys Imegu, Esq., R.O. Eze, Esq., and Dr. R.O. Ishiguzo. The charges now set out two separate counts for each public official.
recall that the Count 1 accuses Oliver of knowingly and intentionally posting a message on his page between May and July 2025 "with the intent to cause breakdown of law and order in Delta State" and to incite residents against the Governor, an offence under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Act.
in the same way, the Count 2 accuses him of cyberstalking the Governor by making publications that threaten to harm his reputation, specifically by claiming the Governor "gave contract to his boys worth billions of naira for rigging election" and is a "sleeping governor who rigged election," an offence under Section 24(2)(b)(c) of the Act.
in the same way, the Count 1 accuses Oliver of posting a message to incite people against Senator Dafinone by alleging the Senator "hid school buses and transformer meant for his constituents," with the intent to cause a breakdown of law and order, an offence under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cyber-crime Act.
also the Count 2 accuses him of cyberstalking the Senator with publications aimed at destroying his reputation, citing claims that Dafinone is a "grossly incompetent senator, scammer in NASS" and other derogatory statements, an offence under Section 24(2)(c) of the Act.
โOliver, represented by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, pleaded not guilty to all the amended counts.
โFollowing arguments on the bail applications, the presiding judge, Justice Olufunmilola A. Agbaje, adjourned the matter to October 16, 2025, for a ruling on bail and ordered Oliver's remand at the Ogwashi-Uku Correctional Centre until that date. The police legal team was led by Dr. R.O. Ishiguzo, Esq., and CSP Gladys Imegu, Esq.
โRecaptulate that the separate fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Fejiro Oliver also came up for hearing on the same day before the same court.
โOliver had instituted a N1 billion lawsuit against Governor Oborevwori, Senator Dafinone, and Stella Okotete (Executive Director, NEXIM Bank), along with the IGP and senior police officers, alleging violations of his fundamental rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement.
During the hearing, Oliver's counsel, Inibehe Effiong, urged the court to order his clientโs unconditional release, arguing that the police had failed to justify his continued detention within the 48-hour period previously directed by the court.
The Governor was represented by the Delta State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, who appeared personally.
โJustice Agbaje declined to grant the request for unconditional release, noting that formal charges had already been filed against the journalist. The rights enforcement suit was then adjourned to November 4, 2025, for further hearing.
