Fejiro Oliver Drags Delta Govt And police To court

A Delta-born journalist, Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver, has filed a ₦1 billion lawsuit against Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State, Senator Ede Dafinone, and Stella Okotete, Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank.

The case, filed at the Federal High Court in Asaba, also names the Inspector General of Police and top officers of the Delta State Police Command as respondents.

The suit stems from Fejiro’s arrest by operatives of the Force Intelligence Department on September 19, 2025. He was picked up from his office in Abuja on the orders of Governor Oborevwori, taken into police custody, and later transferred to Asaba, where he has remained detained at the Anti-Kidnapping Department.

Two weeks after his arrest, on October 4, Fejiro was arraigned in court for alleged cyberstalking of the governor and Senator Dafinone over Facebook posts the police described as defamatory. His detention had earlier drawn the attention of a Federal High Court, which gave the Nigeria Police Force 48 hours to explain why he had not been released after spending 16 days in custody without trial.

In the new lawsuit filed through human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, Fejiro is demanding ₦1 billion in damages for the alleged breach of his rights. He accused the respondents of violating his rights to dignity, liberty, privacy, and movement guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

The journalist said his arrest and transfer from Abuja to Delta were carried out without a valid court warrant. He also accused the police of unlawfully seizing and searching his mobile phone, an act he described as a deliberate invasion of privacy and abuse of authority.

Fejiro is asking the court to order the respondents to issue a written apology published in three national newspapers and to restrain them from further harassing or arresting him. The lawsuit also seeks an injunction preventing the respondents or their agents from violating his rights in the future.

The Federal High Court in Asaba is expected to hear the case in the coming days as the journalist continues to push for justice and accountability over what he describes as wrongful detention and harassment.