After six days of incommunicado detention, Stanley Ugagbe, a reporter with Secrets Reporters, was located at the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) in Abuja by the Nigerian National Committee of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria).
Ugagbe had been apprehended on July 1, 2026, after being stopped at Karu while returning from an official training to his home in Jikwoyi, Abuja. According Secrets Reporters, the security operatives subsequently took Ugagbe to his residence, searched it, and seized his laptop, mobile phones, and other work devices before driving him away.
For several days, Ugagbe’s whereabouts were unknown despite efforts by his colleagues and lawyers to locate him at multiple police facilities and detention centre, including the State Security Service office in Guzape and other police stations, where authorities consistently denied holding him.
After his detention at the National Cybercrime Centre was confirmed, IPI Nigeria engaged the Police leadership of the Nigeria Police Force leading to Ugagbe’s release on July 6, 2026. He was released on administrative bail, although the police said investigations into allegations of espionage, cyberstalking and computer-related offences would continue.
In a Facebook post following his release, Ugagbe said his seized devices had not been returned after his release.
The investigation has since widened to include Secrets Reporters’ publisher and Editor-in-Chief, Tega Oghenedoro, popularly known as Fejiro Oliver. In a letter dated July 6, 2026, the National Cybercrime Centre invited Oghenedoro to report for questioning to assist with its investigation into alleged offences relating to espionage, cyberstalking and computer-related crimes. The letter instructed him to appear before the Assistant Director of the Defence and Protection Unit at the NPF-NCCC for an interview on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, at 10:00 a.m., at the Centre’s headquarters.
According to Secrets Reporters, the investigation stems from allegations by the police that the news outlet unlawfully obtained and published classified government documents and engaged in espionage by leaking official information to foreign countries. The publication further reported that Emem Usoro, Deputy Governor for Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria filed a petition over one of its investigative reports.
Oghenedoro has denied the allegations, maintaining that the publication’s reporting was carried out in the public interest and within the bounds of journalism. Oghenedoro who was outside Nigeria at the time of the invitation indicated he would honour the police invitation upon his return.
The Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) is appalled by the NPF-NCCC’s way of carrying out the investigation into the matter. While the authorities have the right to investigate allegations of criminal conduct, including cybercrime and espionage, such investigations must be conducted transparently, in accordance with due process, and without undermining press freedom.
Ugagbe’s days long unacknowledged detention and continued retention of his devices raise concerns about arbitrary detention, due process and the protection of journalists’ sources. The expansion of the investigation to include the publisher of Secrets Reporters also highlights the need to ensure that criminal laws are not used to intimidate journalists or discourage investigative reporting on matters of public interest.
The MFWA calls on the Nigerian authorities to ensure that all investigations are conducted in full compliance with the law and follow due process. We reiterate our call to authorities to respect the rights of journalists and avoid actions that could have a chilling effect on media freedom and freedom of expression in the country.
