In a concerning turn of events for press freedom in Nigeria, a 26-year-old investigative journalist, Daniel Ojukwu, has been arrested and held without charge for over a week. His case has sparked outrage among media and advocacy groups, shedding light on the deteriorating climate for independent journalism in the country.

Ojukwu was apprehended by the police on May 1 in Lagos, and his colleagues at Nigeria's Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) reported him missing the following day when they were unable to reach him. Private investigators hired by FIJ traced Ojukwu's last location before his arrest, leading to growing demands for answers from the Nigerian police.

Police only confirmed his detention on Sunday, revealing that he had been moved to the capital, Abuja. Ojukwu has been accused of violating the controversial Cybercrime Act, a law criticized by Amnesty International for being used to target journalists and undermine freedom of speech.

The arrest of Ojukwu comes after he and his colleagues uncovered corruption implicating senior Nigerian officials through their investigative reporting. One such revelation involved a presidency official, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, allegedly transferring over $106,000 of government funds to a restaurant in the capital. The funds were initially intended for the construction of a school building and learning center, but according to Ojukwu's report, the facilities were never created. Orelope-Adefulire has yet to respond to these allegations.

Founder of FIJ, Fisayo Soyombo, characterized Ojukwu's arrest as an "abduction," emphasizing that no invitation was extended to discuss the story in question. Soyombo stressed that Ojukwu had not been interrogated or questioned about the report since his arrest, describing the situation as him being "dumped in a cell."

Nigeria has been facing growing criticism for its shrinking space for independent journalism. The arrest of Ojukwu further demonstrates the "horrible" climate journalists are currently facing, according to Soyombo. He also highlighted that he himself is under investigation for a previous report that uncovered alleged collusion between senior Nigerian police, customs officials, and smugglers.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released a statement urging Nigerian authorities to release Daniel Ojukwu immediately and cease intimidating and arresting journalists who investigate the government's use of public funds. Angela Quintal, head of CPJ's Africa program, expressed alarm at the extent to which authorities are willing to clamp down on journalists seeking to expose wrongdoing.

This incident follows a pattern of arrests targeting journalists during President Bola Tinubu's tenure. Just last month, another journalist, Segun Olatunji, was detained for two weeks by the Nigerian military after revealing alleged corruption by the president's chief of staff. Various media groups, including the Nigerian Union of Journalists, have united in calling for an end to repressive tactics employed against the media.

Reporters Without Borders ranked Nigeria as 112th out of 180 countries for press freedom, highlighting the challenging and dangerous environment journalists face on a regular basis.

As concerns for Ojukwu's safety and the freedom of the press continue to mount, the international community will be closely watching the developments in Nigeria.