Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju and his law firm have petitioned several Western countries, urging them to impose a visa ban on the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi.
The petition, dated February 4, 2025, was sent to the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the European Union, accusing Adejobi of suppressing free speech and using his position to intimidate critics of the government.
The petition notes that Adejobi has allegedly ordered the unlawful arrest and detention of individuals for expressing their opinions online. It claims that he has defended police brutality and misused legal provisions to silence dissenting voices.
“We urgently appeal to the United States of America to impose a visa restriction on Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the current Force Public Relations Officer of the Nigeria Police Force,” the petition stated.
The petition also referenced a statement made by Adejobi in March 2023, where he allegedly asserted that insulting police officers was a criminal offense in Nigeria. It further pointed to a Facebook post in which Adejobi reportedly declared that verbally attacking police officers was equivalent to disrespecting Nigeria itself.
Among the cases cited in the petition was the arrest of a nurse, Olamide Thomas, in December 2024. She was reportedly detained after criticizing President Bola Tinubu, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and Adejobi in a video. The law firm noted that her arrest was seen as a direct attack on freedom of expression.
Another case involved a TikToker, Destiny Ekhorutomwem, who was allegedly arrested on Adejobi’s orders for cyberbullying and cyberstalking. The petition claims that Ekhorutomwem was given an unrealistic bail condition, requiring four sureties with assets worth N2 billion. While in custody, he reportedly collapsed and had to be taken to the National Hospital in Abuja.
The petition also accused Adejobi of orchestrating the arrest of one Charles Uche Ihedioha over a comment made on Twitter. It alleged that when Ihedioha’s father, Nathaniel, visited the police station to see his son, Adejobi ordered the detention of the officers who allowed him entry.
The law firm further noted that Adejobi has repeatedly defended the use of excessive force by the police and dismissed calls for accountability.
“In a recent report, he justified excessive force used by officers and dismissed calls for accountability, further proving his complicity in the continued abuse of Nigerian citizens,” the firm stated.
Adeyanju’s law firm urged the United States and other Western nations to take action against Adejobi, arguing that such a move would serve as a warning to those who suppress free speech and undermine democracy.
“We believe such action would send a strong message that individuals who suppress freedom of speech and undermine democratic principles will not be welcomed in the United States,” the firm stated.
