Continued Detention of Fejiro Oliver: NACAT Raises Alarms on Judicial Process in Delta State

The organisation Network Against Corruption and Trafficking (NACAT) has again raised alarm over the ongoing incarceration of journalist‐activist Fejiro Oliver. On 16 October 2025, the Federal High Court, Asaba Division in Delta State granted bail to Mr Oliver.

Despite this court order, while his legal team worked to complete the bail conditions, the Sheriff Oborevwori-led Delta State government reportedly secured a warrant to have Mr Oliver reproduced before Magistrate Court 3 in Asaba.

NACAT argues that such a progression — going from a federal court’s bail decision to a subsequent warrant in a lower magistrate court — undermines the supremacy of the federal judiciary and raises concerns of misuse of legal procedure.

In its statement, the organisation asserted that the moment Mr Oliver fulfills the conditions of the bail order, he must be released without further delay. It warned that any additional legal manoeuvring may amount to what it describes as “courtroom politics.”

NACAT further appealed to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), and other relevant institutions to guarantee that due process is observed and that the judiciary remains independent and impartial.

The organisation’s stand highlights the broader implications for press freedom, rule of law and citizens’ rights in Nigeria, emphasising that when legal systems are seen as tools for political ends, democracy itself suffers.