In this report, Sunday Ehigiator examines how the journey from ‘Watchdog to Target’ defines the ordeal of veteran journalist Azuka Ogujiuba, whose recent experience has reignited fears over Nigeria’s shrinking press freedom; as what began as a professional duty to inform the public about a subsisting court order quickly descended into an episode of police intimidation, arrest, and detention
When Azuka Ogujiuba, a well-known journalist with nearly three decades in the industry, received a routine police invitation in July 2025, she thought it would be a matter easily resolved with her lawyers present.
What followed, however, was a chain of events she describes as “a nightmare.”; one that has raised troubling questions about police impartiality, press freedom, and the power of money in Nigeria’s justice system.
Ogujiuba, a contributor to THISDAY and founder of Media Room Hub, says her “crime” was publishing a buyer-beware notice on Instagram concerning a parcel of land at Hampton Estate, Osapa, Lagos.
According to her, the cautionary post was based on a court order, a public document, that restrained Oretol Nigeria Limited and its alter ego, businessman Mr Adewale Oladapo, from selling or dealing in the land pending a suit brought by Capital Garden Limited.
But rather than acknowledge the publication as lawful, she alleges, the police acted on a petition filed against her by Mr Oladapo’s lawyer, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Muiz Banire, SAN, accusing her of defamation.
Who is Azuka Ogujiuba
To understand the weight of this case, one must first understand the woman at its centre.
Born and raised in Nigeria, Azuka Ogujiuba entered journalism in the 1990s, cutting her teeth on human-interest stories before becoming known for her bold society reporting. Over time, she carved a reputation as both fearless and meticulous; a journalist who combined a keen eye for detail with an instinct for stories that matter.
Her career, spanning close to 30 years, has been without scandal or disciplinary blemish. She has interviewed presidents, profiled business moguls, and built relationships across industries. In 2016, she founded Media Room Hub, which quickly became a trusted source for entertainment, lifestyle, and social commentary.
“She is not a fly-by-night blogger,” said one of her colleagues in the industry, Ayodeji Ake. “Azuka has paid her dues. If you say journalism in Nigeria, her name must come up. She’s a professional to the core.”
So when, in March 2025, she published a notice about a disputed land deal, it was not an unusual act. It was a fulfilment of her journalistic and civic duty, and more importantly, a direct compliance with a court order.
The Land at the Heart of the Dispute
Court documents reveal the roots of the conflict. In 2020, Capital Garden Limited purchased several hectares of land at Hampton Estate, Osapa, Lagos, from Oretol Nigeria Limited and Mr Oladapo for ₦5.3 billion. The transaction was formalised with a deed of sublease and a survey plan.
But years later, Capital Garden accused Oretol Nigeria of attempting to resell the same property to new buyers. In March 2025, Justice E.O. Ashade of the Lagos High Court granted an interim injunction, restraining Oretol and Oladapo from marketing or selling the land until the substantive case was determined.
The court also directed that the public be notified of the restraining order. Hence, Ogujiuba and other media outlets published buyer-beware notices to warn potential investors.
An Invitation Turned Ordeal
On July 8, 2025, Ogujiuba, while speaking with THISDAY, said, “On July 8, 2025, I received a WhatsApp message from one Josphine Ometere, who identified herself as a police officer from the Special Investigations Unit (SIU). She forwarded an invitation to me requiring my appearance for an interview at their Abuja office on July 22, 2025.
“The said date was inconvenient. I informed my lawyer, who wrote back to reschedule the appointment for August 6, 2025.
“On the said August 6, 2025, I honoured the invite in the company of my lawyers and was interrogated by a police woman called lfy Ogoli. I was informed that the petition against me stemmed from my publication of the ruling of the High Court of Lagos State, which directed that the pendency of a suit before it be published to prevent unsuspecting members of the public from purchasing the subject matter of the dispute before the Court.
“Ify Ogoli informed me that the petition was written by one Mr Muiz Banire, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, for his client, Mr Adewale Oladapo.
“My publication on Instagram that prompted the petition against me stemmed from my justified report of the order of the High Court of Lagos State, (Coram Honourable Justice E.O. Ashade), sitting at the Yaba Judicial Division in Suit No. LD/9195GCMW/2025 between Capital Garden Limited v. Oretol Nigeria Limited & Adewale Oladapo.
“The suit filed by Capital Garden Limited as Plaintiffs arose on its purchase of some hectares of land being at Hampton Estate, Osapa, Lagos, from the Defendants, Oretol Nigeria Limited and Adewale Oladapo, sometime in 2020 and for which the agreed purchase price of N5.3 billion was fully paid and receipt acknowledged by Oretol Nigeria Limited and Mr Adewale Oladapo in several correspondences. The sale of the parcel of land to Capital Garden Limited was documented in a duly executed Deed of Sublease and a Survey plan.
“Surprisingly however, Oretol Nigeria Limited having utilized the purchase price for about half a decade to sand fill several parcels of the land, has now with a volte face sought to sell the parcel of land to supposed ‘New Takers’ and generally unsuspecting members of the public to raise funds with which the Defendants, Oretol Nigeria Limited and Adewale Oladapo intend to refund Capital Garden Limited.
“To this end, the Claimant, as Applicant, filed a motion seeking several interim reliefs from the High Court of Lagos State. The motion was granted on March 25, 2025 and orders made restraining Oretol Nigeria Limited, its alter ego, agents, privies, assigns, associates, nominees or any special officers or other persons(s) howsoever described and called from entering, trespassing, using or dealing with all that parcel of land measuring approximately 4 Hectares situate and being at Hampton Estate (Also known as Eletu Odibo Island) Osapa, Lagos State pending the filing of the substantive suit, and hearing/determination of any Motion on Notice for interlocutory Injunction.
“By the said Order of Court made on March 25, 2025, Oretol Nigeria Limited, its Director- Adewale Oladapo, its agent, privies, agents, any person or agency acting through the Defendants were restrained from marketing, attempting to sell and or selling, transferring, alienating or assigning the subject parcel of land {subject of litigation} to any third party pending the filing of the substantive suit, and hearing/determination of any Motion on Notice for interlocutory Injunction.
“Also, a further Order was made directing the Claimant to notify the general public of the restraining orders of Court on the Defendants vide Media/Newspaper, alerting the unsuspecting general public/potential buyers of the Defendants’ conduct and discouraging third parties from engaging with the Defendants regarding all that parcel of land measuring approximately 4 hectares situate at Hampton Estate, Osapa, Lagos.
“It was pursuant to the above highlighted Court orders (which is a public document) and the truth of what transpired in the Court that I, Azuka Ogujiuba, the owner of Media Room Hub and indeed other media houses, published a caution to the public in form of ‘Buyer Beware’ notices in line with the Court order to notify the general public of the pending litigation, the restraining orders made by Honourable Justice Ashade of the High Court of Lagos State and to advise the public as directed by the Court against dealing with the subject property whether by way of lease, purchase or from carrying on any construction work thereon pending the determination of the pending suit.”
From Journalism to Cell
Despite her explanation and submission of the court order, Ogujiuba alleged that police investigators insisted she retract her post and tender an apology to Mr Oladapo.
“They told me point-blank that Mr Oladapo had ordered my humiliation and that I would not be released until I complied,” she alleges. Although she was initially granted bail on August 6, events took a darker turn two days later.
On August 8, she was rearrested in what she described as “Gestapo style” and detained for three days at Asokoro Police Station. According to her, “I was tracked down to where I was carrying out my official assignment through my GPS like a common criminal, embarrassed and abducted in the presence of my interviewee, and other well-meaning Nigerians present.”
During her detention, she says she was denied access to her lawyers, coerced into deleting her Instagram posts, and forced to sign an apology under duress.
“I was dehumanised, intimidated, and harassed into submission,” she said. “The police went beyond their legal powers and acted like enforcers for a private businessman.”
The Paradox of Unanswered Police Invitations
In a twist of irony, Ogujiuba points out that while she was swiftly arrested and detained for honouring a police invitation, Mr Oladapo has allegedly failed to honour a police summons over petitions against him.
According to her, “I would ordinarily expect that Mr Adewale Oladapo, who knows how to use the instrumentality of the law, by instructing his lawyer, Mr Muiz Banire, SAN, to write a petition against me to the Nigeria Police Force, leading to my arrest and detention, should himself honour the outstanding police invitation extended to him.
“From my findings, I am aware that Capital Gardens Limited and its alter ego, Dr Kennedy Okonkwo, had caused a petition to be written by their lawyer to the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), which petition was referred to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State and assigned to the X squad for investigation.
“The petition bothered on Fraudulent Conversion of Property, Obtaining by False Pretense, and Multiple Fraudulent Alienations in respect of 4 Hectares of land at Hampton Island Estate, 1.5 hectares of land at Hampton Habour, 8,000SQM of land at Hampton Bay and 1,000 SQM of land at Banana Island for which the sums of N3.5 Billion, N1.8 Billion, N800 Million, and N783 Million Naira respectively were paid to and received/duly acknowledged by Mr. Adewale Oladapo and his company Oretol Nigeria Limited.
“In the course of their investigation, the X squad of the Lagos State Police Command invited Mr Adewale Oladapo to come and answer to the allegations against him, and he has since refused to honour the police invitation, claiming to have travelled out of Nigeria.
“Whereas, the said Adewale Oladapo has been seen attending parties in Abuja while refusing to honour a police investigation in a petition against him, just the way I did as a responsible citizen.
“In the circumstance, the question that begs for an answer is whether Mr Adewale Oladapo is above the law, untouchable, too big to honour a police invite to answer to allegations of crimes against him and his company or operates under a different set of laws from ordinary Nigerians.
“The answers to the above posers will be seen in the coming days or weeks as Nigerians are urged to keenly watch developments in the petition against Mr. Adewale Oladapo and his company to see whether the Nigeria Police Force will act as swiftly as they did to arrest and detain me even when I had voluntarily honoured their invitation and was granted bail, or they will continue to sit and watch as a suspect against whom criminal allegations bothering on huge sums of money has been made, and who has refused to honour a police invitation is allowed to roam the country with a retinue of policemen attached to him while refusing to honour a police invitation over allegations of crime against him.”
A Bigger Problem
Ogujiuba’s ordeal underscores two long-standing issues in Nigeria: land-related fraud and the misuse of police powers.
Property disputes, especially in Lagos, have often been marred by allegations of “multiple sales” and fraudulent conveyancing. Experts say such disputes thrive because of weak enforcement of court orders and collusion between influential businessmen and corrupt elements in law enforcement.
Equally troubling is the recurring pattern of journalists and whistleblowers facing police intimidation for doing their jobs. Press freedom advocates note that the Constitution guarantees the right to free expression and the duty of the press to hold power accountable.
“What happened to Azuka is not just her story,” a senior journalist who asked not to be named said. “It’s a warning shot to the entire media industry that powerful individuals can deploy state institutions to silence inconvenient truths.”
Journalism on Trial
Beyond the personal ordeal of Ogujiuba also lies a larger concern about journalism practice in Nigeria. The country has a troubling record on press freedom. According to Reporters Without Borders, Nigeria ranks poorly on the World Press Freedom Index, with frequent cases of journalists facing harassment, arrest, and violence.
In 2016, journalist Jones Abiri was detained for two years without trial. In 2019, Agba Jalingo was arrested and charged with treason for reporting on corruption. Even more recently, reporters covering a fire disaster on Lagos Island, Nigeria, were harassed right on live camera, just to mention a few incidents.
Ogujiuba’s case fits into this pattern. By allegedly criminalising a lawful publication, going further to arrest and detain the reporter for three days, while allegedly coercing her to delete the said publication, the police have sent a clear written message: that journalists can be punished not only for falsehoods, but also for truths that inconvenience the powerful.
A System Tilted Against the Weak?
For Ogujiuba, the ordeal has left her with more questions than answers. “Why would a SAN file a petition against me for publishing a court order? Why did the police insist on an apology to a private citizen as a condition for my release? Why does one man seem untouchable while the law is weaponised against journalists?”
Her experience, she argues, earmarks a double standard in Nigeria’s justice system; one where it’s believed in public parlance that wealth and connections often tilt the scales.
Efforts to obtain Mr Adewale Oladapo’s reaction to the allegations proved abortive. He neither answered calls nor responded to messages sent to him before press time.
Ogujiuba’s ordeal raises pressing questions about accountability, both for the police and for businessmen who appear shielded by influence. “Today, it’s me,” she said. “Tomorrow, it could be any journalist who dares to report the truth.”
For now, the case has become more than a personal battle. It is a test of whether Nigeria’s justice system can truly protect the weak from the strong, the citizen from the state, and the truth from being silenced.
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