20/09/2025
NEWSNACAT blasts police over detention of journalist Fejiro Oliver, demands unconditional release
The Network Against Corruption and Anti-Drug Trafficking, NACAT, has condemned what it described as the unlawful, unconstitutional, and politically motivated arrest and continued detention of journalist, Mr. Fejiro Oliver.
In a statement signed by NACAT’s Operations Manager, Mr. Stanley Ugagbe, and released to journalists on Saturday, the anti-corruption and anti-drug organisation called for the immediate and unconditional release of Oliver, who serves as its Chairman.
The organisation accused the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Abaniwonda Olufemi, of gross abuse of power.
According to Ugagbe, Mr. Oliver was forcefully arrested in Abuja on Thursday, September 18, 2025, by operatives of the Nigerian Police Force. The arrest, according to the organisation, cannot be unconnected to his criticism of the Delta State government.
Following his arrest, Oliver was swiftly transferred to Asaba, Delta State, where he is currently being held at the State Criminal Investigation Department, SCID.
“This is not just an unlawful detention, it is a brazen act of political persecution aimed at silencing a fearless voice against corruption,” the statement read
Mr. Oliver is a renowned journalist, whistleblower, and anti-corruption advocate whose investigative work has exposed deep-seated corruption and abuse of office at various levels of government.
NACAT reiterates that his arrest represents a broader threat to civil liberties, freedom of the press and expression, and democratic accountability in Nigeria.
“The continued illegal detention of Mr. Oliver marks a dangerous turning point. It is an attack not only on him as an individual, but on the fundamental rights of every Nigerian. When those who speak truth to power are criminalized, democracy itself is under siege,” NACAT warned.
The organisation accused the Delta State government of weaponizing state institutions to punish dissent and suppress transparency. It further criticized the Nigerian Police Force for serving as a tool of political intimidation rather than a neutral enforcer of the law.
“This kind of executive overreach and lawlessness must not be allowed to stand. The police should be guardians of the law, not enforcers of political vendettas,” the statement added.
NACAT called on civil society, the media, human rights organizations, and the international community to urgently intervene and demand justice. The group described the situation as a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law and democratic norms.
“The world must not look away. The Delta State government must be held accountable for this blatant abuse of power. Today it is Fejiro Oliver, tomorrow it could be anyone who dares to speak out.”
“We hereby demand the immediate and unconditional release of Mr. Fejiro Oliver from unlawful detention. Anything less is a betrayal of Nigeria’s Constitution, its laws, and the rights of its citizens.”
