Court Grants Bail To Journalist Fejiro Oliver In Two Defamation Cases Filed By Delta Government
Court Grants Bail To Journalist Fejiro Oliver In Two Defamation Cases Filed By Delta Government
In the first charge, Oliver allegedly referred to Senator Onowakpo as a “blockhead senator” and “politically useless.”
An Asaba Magistrate Court in Delta State on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, granted bail to investigative journalist, 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.”
Recall that Fejiro, who is the publisher of online news medium, Secret Reporters, was previously arraigned by the Inspector-General of Police before the Federal High Court in Asaba on charges of cyberstalking Governor Sheriff Oborevwori and Senator Ede Dafinone representing Delta Central in the Senate.
Fejiro is now facing four separate charges in Delta State after his arrest on September 18, 2025.
He remains in the custodial centre (prison) pending perfection of his bail conditions.
SaharaReporters previously reported that the Delta State Attorney General, Mr. Ekemejero Ohwovoriole, SAN, filed fresh criminal charges against Fejiro Oliver, over allegations of defamation, cyberstalking, and conduct likely to cause a breach of public peace.
According to documents obtained by SaharaReporters last week Sunday, the new charges were filed at the Magistrate Court 3 in Asaba and assigned to Magistrate Nkechi Edith Anumadu, reportedly a preferred choice of the prosecution.
The cases, titled Criminal Defamation of Character and Cyberstalking of Hon. Stella Okotete by Fejiro Oliver and Complaint of Cyberstalking, Conduct Likely to Cause Breach of the Public Peace, Defamation, and Publication of Injurious Falsehood Against Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas by Fejiro Oliver, were initiated separately by the two public figures.
His lawyer, Inibehe, had disclosed that Fejiro Oliver was expected to be arraigned on Tuesday before Magistrate Anumadu in Asaba.
The Count 1 of the charge read, “That you TEGA SAMSON OGHENEDORO (alias Fejiro Oliver) ‘M’, between the months of February and May, 2025, in Asaba within Asaba Magisterial District, with intent to injure the reputation of Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas, representing Delta South Senatorial District in the Nigeria Senate, by exposing him to public hatred and ridicule, made publications on your Facebook (Meta) account, with the name “Fejiro Oliver”, by calling Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas different demeaning and ridiculous names like “blockhead Senator”, “politically useless”, knowing the publications to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code, Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.
Also, the Count II read, “That you TEGA SAMSON OGHENEDORO (alias Fejiro Oliver) ‘M’, between the months of February and May, 2025, in Asaba within Asaba Magisterial District, with intent to injure the reputation of Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas representing Delta South Senatorial District in the Nigeria Senate, by exposing him to public hatred and ridicule, made publications on your Facebook (Meta) account, with the name “Fejiro Oliver”, by stating that Senator Joel Onowakpo Thomas electoral victory was the product of manipulation and fraud when you posted, “Your son Joel Onowakpor… push by DSP Ovie Omo-Agege to be forcefully installed as a Senator today,…”, “Joel do not have capacity to play Federal politics”, “election wey make Joel faint for church knowing he had already lost woefully…”, knowing the publications to be false and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code, Cap C21 Vol. 1, Laws of Delta State of Nigeria, 2006.”
