Adewale Oladapo arrests journalist Azuka Ogujiuba over court report, sparking outrage over press freedom and police abuse in Nigeria

Adewale Oladapo arrests journalist Azuka Ogujiuba in a controversial move that has ignited condemnation across Nigeria’s media and human rights communities.

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Ogujiuba, a respected journalist and publisher of Media Room Hub, was detained on 8 August 2025 after being lured to Abuja by an official invitation from the Nigerian Police.

Despite arriving with legal representation, she was allegedly detained unlawfully for three days by officers at the Asokoro Division without a warrant.

The arrest was reportedly prompted by a petition from businessman Adewale Oladapo, known as Biggie, who accused her of cyberbullying and defamation.

However, Ogujiuba insists the real motive was retaliation for her platform’s publication of a court injunction in a high-profile land dispute that did not favour Oladapo.

At the heart of the legal saga is a multi-billion-naira property case involving Dr Kennedy Okonkwo of Capital Gardens Limited, who sued Oladapo and his firm, Oretol Nigeria Limited, over land disputes in Osapa, Lekki.

The Lagos High Court had issued an injunction barring Oladapo from interfering with four hectares of contested land.

The journalist says she was targeted for publishing that ruling, a report echoed across major Nigerian media outlets.

During her detention, Ogujiuba claims she was maltreated by officers including Moses Jolugbo, Ifeoma Ogoli, and Josephine Omotere, and was forced to sign an apology letter, later circulated online.

“They treated me like a criminal for doing my job,” she said. “They tracked me, harassed me, and forced me to sign an undertaking under duress.”

She also accused officers of releasing her personal address to Oladapo’s legal team—Muiz Banire Chambers—raising fears for her safety.

Meanwhile, Oladapo, the complainant in the defamation case, has allegedly ignored police summons in a separate investigation into fraudulent land transactions worth billions of naira, according to petitions filed by Capital Gardens Ltd.

Despite police interest, Oladapo has yet to be held accountable.

Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun has publicly stated that police should avoid meddling in commercial disputes, a stance which further calls into question the legality of Ogujiuba’s detention.

Human rights groups have joined in demanding justice. Activist Kehinde Adewale said the case represents “a dangerous precedent” where “journalists are punished for reporting court judgments.”

The International Press Institute Nigeria has also warned that such intimidation tactics erode public confidence and threaten press freedom in Nigeria.

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As the land case progresses in court, Azuka Ogujiuba’s experience has become a sobering symbol of press vulnerability, alleged police excesses, and growing concern over the misuse of state machinery in civil disputes.