A journalist from Ebonyi State, Alefia Friday James, has alleged that security operatives arrested and harassed him following investigative reports his media organization published concerning alleged land grabbing, extortion, and intimidation involving Hon. Chinedu Ogah, House of Representatives member representing Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency of Ebonyi State.
Speaking during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica, James described what he called a pattern of repression against journalists in Ebonyi State, particularly those who publish stories critical of political officeholders.
According to him, press freedom in the state “exists only on paper,” claiming that journalists who publish unfavorable reports about politicians often face intimidation and retaliation. The publisher of Naija News Today further referenced a remark widely attributed to former governor Dave Umahi, who reportedly told journalists, “You have the pen, and I have the koboko,” a statement James said symbolized the hostile environment in which media practitioners operated during that administration.
James, who describes himself as an ‘accountability journalist’, also alleged that local media bodies in the state function largely as extensions of the government, adding that the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Ebonyi declined to intervene in his case because he was not a registered member. He suggested that fear of political repercussions might have discouraged the union from speaking out.
Detailing the events that led to his arrest, the journalist said his media organization published multiple reports concerning Hon. Ogah, the House of Representatives member representing the Ezza South/Ikwo Federal Constituency. The reports allegedly covered complaints from villagers in Ikwo Local Government Area who accused the lawmaker of forcibly taking over their ancestral lands.
James maintained that the stories were based on firsthand accounts from the affected villagers. He also said his outlet attempted to contact Hon. Ogah for comment before publication, but received no response.
“On September 23, 2025, I was arrested at my residence in Lagos by police officers. I was initially taken to the Police Command in Ikeja, where they showed me a petition referencing some of our published reports as evidence against him,” he explained. He further alleged that the officers later transported him by road to Abuja in handcuffs and subjected him to pressure to sign an additional statement claiming that he was sponsored to publish the reports.
“I told them I was simply doing my job as a journalist,” James said, insisting that no individual or group sponsored his investigations.
He further alleged that officers seized his international passport and other belongings during the operation and threatened him with prolonged detention. He said he spent two days in custody in Lagos before being moved to Abuja.
James also drew attention to the case of an Ebonyi-based TikToker, Mr. Chisom Achor, who he claimed is still languishing in the Enugu Correctional Center after being arrested for accusing the lawmaker of seizing his family’s land.
