After 61 days in police and prison custody, Nigerian investigative journalist and publisher of Secret Reporters, Fejiro Oliver, has regained his freedom.
His release was confirmed on Tuesday by his counsel Effiong Inibehe, who disclosed that Oliver was freed earlier on Tuesday morning.
Fejiro Oliver had been detained since September 18, 2025, following allegations linked to his critical publications about Delta State Governor Sheriff Oborevwori, Senators Joel Thomas and Ede Dafinone, and one Stella Okotete.
Despite his release, the legal battles are far from over.
The Inspector General of Police has filed two cybercrime charges against Oliver at the Federal High Court in Asaba, while the Attorney General of Delta State has filed two separate defamation cases at the Magistrate’s Court in Asaba.
Both sets of charges remain pending.
According to Inibehe, “Fejiro has been in detention since the 18th day of September, 2025 over his alleged publications and criticisms of Delta Governor Mr. Sheriff Oborevwori, Senator Joel Thomas, Senator Ede Dafinone and one Stella Okotete.
“The two cybercrime charges filed by the Inspector General of Police at Federal High Court, Asaba and the two separate defamation charges filed by the Attorney General of Delta State at the Magistrate’s Court in Asaba are still pending.”
On October 28, 2025, SaharaReporters reported that an Asaba Magistrate Court in Delta State on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, granted bail to Fejiro Oliver, in two separate defamation cases filed by the Delta State government.
The charges, marked CMA/529C/2025 and CMA/530C/2025, were instituted by the State’s Attorney General, accusing the publisher of Secret Reporters of defaming Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas, who represents Delta South Senatorial District, and Stella Okotete, an Executive Director at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank.
In the first charge, Oliver allegedly referred to Senator Onowakpo as a “blockhead senator” and “politically useless.”
However, in the second, he is accused of publishing defamatory material against Okotete, whose ministerial nomination by President Bola Tinubu was previously rejected by the Senate.
Meanwhile, two different Magistrates presiding over the matters granted Oliver bail under strict conditions.
Each required a surety with landed property within jurisdiction and the deposit of his international passport.
One Magistrate further directed that a second surety must be a close relative of the defendant.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, Austin Nyekigbe, Esq., from a defence team led by human rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, appeared for Oliver, while the Director of Public Prosecutions, A. O. Orhorhoro, Esq., alongside T. R. Anuhwin, Esq., represented the state.
According to Inibehe, “Both Magistrates asked him to produce a surety with a landed property within jurisdiction, and deposit his passport
“One of them also asked that a second surety should be his close relative.”
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