Abiodun Baiyewu, executive director of Global Rights, has called for the immediate release of four journalists, Olurotimi Olawale, Precious Eze Chukwunonso, Roland Olonishuwa, and Seun Odunlami, alleging unjust incarceration.
In a statement titled, ‘A Tragedy and Travesty: GT Bank Vs. Journalism,’ Baiyewu said the journalists must be released unconditionally, noting that, “GTBank and its CEO must drop all charges and compensate the journalists for their unlawful detention and reputational harm.”
She also called for judicial accountability, repeal of oppressive laws and law enforcement reform, urging the chief justice of Nigeria to mandate the judiciary to dismiss criminal cases that blatantly violate constitutionally protected rights to free expression and press freedom.
Baiyewu said the charges against the journalists -ranging from making false and misleading allegations to allegedly causing harm to GTBank’s reputation —are rooted in an authoritarian misuse of the Cybercrimes Act and Nigeria’s criminal code.
“It is terrifying that if they are convicted, they face draconian penalties, including up to 14 years in prison,” Baiyewu said.
The Global Rights boss said the body is appalled by the travesty of justice, noting that the four journalists have unjustly remained ‘wards’ of the Nigerian criminal justice system since September 2024 till date for the ‘crime’ of practising journalism.
“This shameful saga is compounded by the fact that their chief persecutor—a major Nigerian commercial bank, Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank)- has turned a blind eye to its complicity in the violation of the human rights of these journalists.”
The activist said the bank, which is listed on the Nigerian Exchange Group, has forgotten that it owes a fiduciary duty to its shareholders to respect human rights and engender public goodwill.
She noted that the case highlights an alarming trend of the misuse of legal instruments by powerful individuals and institutions to attack journalists and civic actors who expose unflattering truths.
This, according to her, “Is demonstrated in both the Dele Farotimi case and the plight of these journalists, this unethical practice, which underlies a blatant disregard for the rule of law, underscores an undemocratic message: dissent will not be tolerated and the powerful are at liberty to weaponize instruments of the state, especially enforcement to subvert justice and crush citizens who dare paint unflattering portraits of them.”
“Nigeria is a democracy—at least in principle—a constitutional republic where the right to freedom of the press (Section 22) and freedom of expression (Section 39) are enshrined in the 1999 Constitution (as amended). These provisions mandate the press to hold power accountable and empower citizens to express themselves freely. Yet, laws like the Cybercrime Act of 2015 (as amended) and outdated criminal defamation statutes have been wielded to crush dissent, silence critics, and further shrink the civic space. It is our considered opinion that these laws are inconsistent with constitutional guarantees and must be declared void to the extent of their inconsistency.
“It is important for all well-meaning Nigerians, especially the government, to recognize this genre of impunity and demand an immediate stop to them. As 2025 unfolds, the Nigerian judiciary, legislature, and law enforcement must prioritize the protection of press freedom and end their complicity in the erosion of Nigeria’s democratic values. Based on the foregoing, we demand the following,” she said.
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