On October 6, 2025, investigative journalist Tega Oghenedoro, widely known as Fejiro Oliver, filed a N1 billion lawsuit against several high-profile individuals and law enforcement agencies in Nigeria. The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Asaba, challenges the enforcement of his fundamental human rights following his arrest and prolonged detention.
The key defendants named in the suit are the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori; the Senator representing Delta Central senatorial district, Ede Dafinone; and the Executive Director of Business Development at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Stella Okotete.
Also included as respondents are senior police officials and the institutions they represent: the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Delta State Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) DCP Adegoke Alani, and CSP Solomon Nwokolo of the state police command. The suit specifically challenges the violation of Oliver’s rights to dignity of the human person, personal liberty, privacy, and freedom of movement.
Oliver’s ordeal began on September 19, 2025, when operatives of the Force Intelligence Department (FID) arrested him at his office in Garki, Abuja. The arrest was allegedly carried out on the orders of Governor Oborevwori. He was first taken to the FID before being transferred by air to Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The journalist remains in police custody at the anti-kidnapping department in Asaba. On October 4, 2025, he was formally charged in court with cyberstalking Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator Ede Dafinone over a series of Facebook posts that police described as “defamatory.”
This legal action comes after a Federal High Court in Asaba had previously given the Nigeria Police Force a 48-hour ultimatum to show cause why Oliver, who had spent 16 days in detention on the cyberstalking allegations, should not be released unconditionally.
Represented by human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, Esq. of Inibehe Effiong Chambers, Oliver filed the suit, demanding the colossal sum of N1,000,000,000 (One Billion Naira) as general and exemplary damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
The applicant in the case is Tega Samson Oghenedoro (Alias Fejiro Oliver), while the respondents are listed from the first to the eighth as: Governor of Delta State (1st), Senator Ede Omueya Dafinone (2nd), Stella Erhuvwuoghene Okotete (3rd), CSP Solomon Nwokolo (4th), DCP Adegoke Alani (5th), Commissioner of Police, Delta State Police Command (6th), Nigeria Police Force (7th), and Inspector General of Police (8th).
The lawsuit seeks several specific court remedies: a declaration that his fundamental rights were violated, an order for the respondents to pay the N1 billion in damages, an order compelling the respondents to publish a written apology in three national newspapers, and a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from any further interference with his rights.