New Legal Twist: Delta Government Seeks Fresh Arraignment of Critic Fejiro Oliver

The legal feud between the Delta State Government and social media critic Fejiro Oliver has escalated, with the government securing a fresh reproduction warrant to arraign the journalist on new, as-yet-undisclosed charges. This action comes shortly after Oliver secured bail in a previous case.

Dependable NG reports that the new case, officially titled State (Gov. Sheriff) vs. Fejiro Oliver, was filed on October 17, 2025. The warrant mandates Oliver’s appearance before Her Worship, Mrs. Edith Nkechi Anumadu, at Magistrate Court 3, Asaba, on Monday, October 20, 2025, for the formal arraignment. This move is widely viewed as a coordinated effort to keep the government critic incarcerated despite his bail grant from the Federal High Court.

The development has been swiftly condemned by several human rights advocates and civil society leaders. These figures, including Dr. Akima Umukoro, President of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) Youth Wing, Worldwide; Daniel Etaga, former President of the Niger Delta Youth Council (NDYC); and Comrade Kelly Efemena, have openly described the government’s action as an attempt to ‘weaponise the judiciary’ and deliberately ‘silence a government critic’.

Oliver was initially arrested for allegedly criticising Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on social media platforms. Following his arrest, he was reportedly detained for a staggering 21 days at the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Delta State Police Command in Asaba. The details of his detention were only made public after sustained pressure was mounted by civil society groups and journalists, which eventually led to his initial arraignment and the subsequent bail granted by the Federal High Court, Asaba. The new warrant, however, suggests the state government is determined to prolong his legal woes and detention.