Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has strongly condemned the Delta State Police Command for summoning Comrade Victor Ojie, leader of the Young Nigerian Rights Organization (YNRO), following a formal request for information filed under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act, 2011.
The advocacy group described the police intervention as a blatant attempt to intimidate and harass a citizen for exercising his lawful right to transparency.
The Dispute Over Public Records
The controversy began when the YNRO submitted an FOI request to the Delta State Ministry of Lands and Survey. The organization sought access to records and petitions regarding land disputes in the Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.
Under the FOI Act, the Ministry is legally required to provide the information within seven days or provide a valid legal justification for denial. Instead of complying, the Ministry reportedly involved the police to target the requester.
In a formal “Letter of Invitation” (Ref. No.: CB:3422/SID/DTS/VOL 3/153) dated March 3, 2026, the State Intelligence Department (SID) in Asaba directed Comrade Ojie to appear before the Assistant Commissioner of Police on March 9, 2026, specifically to discuss the subject of his FOI request.
MRA Alleges Professional Ignorance
In a statement released Wednesday, MRA’s Deputy Executive Director, Mr. Ayode Longe, slammed the police for treating a civil administrative matter as a criminal investigation.
“It is an alarming trend that the Nigeria Police Force has become an instrument for violating the rights of citizens. For the Delta State Police to treat a civil request for information as a criminal matter is a deeply troubling development. We consider it not only an act of professional ignorance but a deliberate assault on the constitutional rights of Nigerians.”
Violation of Federal Law
Mr. Longe highlighted that Section 1(2) of the FOI Act explicitly states that an applicant does not need to demonstrate a specific interest in the information requested. He argued there is no legal basis for Comrade Ojie to be interrogated for simply asking for public records.
The MRA further noted that the Act provides clear channels for denying a request, and issuing a police summons is not a recognized legal response.
“By summoning Comrade Ojie, the Delta State Police Command is sending a chilling message to the public that asking questions about land disputes could be treated as a crime,” Longe added. “This is an attempt to protect potentially corrupt interests under the guise of police procedure.”
Demands for Accountability
The MRA has called on the Delta State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector-General of Police to immediately withdraw the summons and cease all harassment of YNRO officials.
The organization also urged the Attorney-General of the Federation to intervene, reminding the government that the FOI Act actually makes the wrongful denial of access to information a punishable offense.
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