Magistrate Edith Nkechi Anumadu of court 3 in Asaba, Delta state, on Monday, 26th January 2026, issued a bench warrant against investigative journalist Fejiro Oliver, even with Mr. Oliver’s counsel reporting to her that their client was not in court because has faced a series of visible threats to his life and as such could not make a court appearance on the said date for fear of his life.
The Magistrate, aside from issuing a bench warrant against Fejiro Olive, also ordered that his sureties be arrested.
It would be recalled that the magistrate of court 2 in Asaba in Mrs. Patricia in December also issued a bench warrant against Fejiro Oliver even when it was brought to her notice by Mr. Oliver’s counsel that he had been under threat to his life as he had been hounded by armed masked men police officers, and that was why he was not in court at that date, the issue of threats to Mr. Fejiro’s been severally reported in the media.
Speaking to this medium, Mr. Oliver said, “This is not justice. This is persecution, and I’m not deterred or bothered. I have never run from court trials.
“I have stood trial for a cybercrime case since 2017 in Lagos court and attended every one of them, paying flights from Abuja and staying in a hotel for a minimum of two days, and never backed out since 2017.
“In fact, I want to stand trial, to confront them, to expose them, and to disgrace their lies in open court, both the Federal High Court and their own judgment written magistrate courts. But a trial must first be safe,” he said.
According to him, he must be safe first for such to take place, and what exists today is not law enforcement anymore. He accused the Nigerian police of degenerating into a tool of intimidation and fear. According to him, he said this owing to what has been happening to him since the Delta case started. Masked men, armed and unaccountable, deployed from the IGP squad have hounded him left and right without stopping.
“My present decision not to submit myself for trial is based solely on credible fears for my life and safety. Appearing poses a grave risk to my personal security. In such circumstances, my fear is neither imagined nor unreasonable,” he said.
According to Mr Oliver, self-preservation is not cowardice; it is a constitutional right, and his right to live is more important than any trial, which he said he believes the state government has already concluded in their mind.
“I wish to remind Nigerians that the right to life precedes any criminal process. The right to life is superior to every bench warrant. A country that cannot guarantee my safety has no moral authority to demand my surrender for trial,” Fejiro said.
It would be recalled that Police Officers in December last year were at his office also, while he was in Asaba for his court case. After that incident, while speaking with the media, he told the media that this action is a witch-hunt, and he fears for his life.
As it is now, Mr. Fejiro Oliver says his life is in serious danger, as he is currently in hiding.
Again Police officers in the same month stormed his office in Abuja. The police officers, who were masked and armed from the IGP squad, came to his office in a black-tinted hiace unmarked vehicles bearing heavy guns.
The Police who stormed the office around 8:45am on Monday came along with an envelope, which they claimed had all Mr. Fejiro’s details as well as an arrest warrant, which they never showed to the estate security where his office is located.
As it is now, Mr. Fejiro Oliver fears his life is in danger, as he is currently in hiding.
It would be recalled that Mr. Oliver was abducted by policemen from his office in Abuja in September and flown to Delta State on the order of Mr. Oborevwori. Following his abduction, he was detained at a police facility for weeks before he was later arraigned in court and remanded in prison following pressure from civil society organisations.
He was later released from prison after he met his bail conditions.
