The State Security Service has detained a Nigerian journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka, who is the West African Regional Editor of the Conversation Africa, PREMIUM TIMES learnt on Sunday.

Mr Soyinka, a former pioneer editor of the BBC Pidgin Service, was detained by SSS operatives at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos at about 5.40 a.m. on Sunday upon his arrival from the United Kingdom via a Virgin Atlantic flight.

As of the time of this report, no reason has been given for his detention by the security agency.

When contacted over the matter, the spokesperson for the SSS, Peter Afunanya, said, “I am not aware of the matter you have raised and have no comments on it, please.”

The award-winning journalist’s colleagues said he has not been reachable as messages and calls to his phone have been unanswered.

Nigerian authorities had recently said that some Nigerians who played roles in the recent #endbadgovernanceyinNigeria protest had been placed on watchlist at the nation’s international airports.

It is unclear if Mr Adejuwon’s arrest is related to that controversial action, although the journalist is not publicly known to have participated in the organisation and execution of the protest.

Several journalists covering the ten-day protest were attacked and brutalized by security agents, including personnel of the SSS.

In one shocking case in Abuja, operatives shot live ammunition at a car carrying some journalists who were on duty at the Moshood Abiola Stadium where peaceful protesters gathered.

adenigga:

Operatives of the Department of State Services have arrested an investigative journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka.

Soyinka, who is the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was arrested at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos on Sunday.

A distress message sent to The PUNCH by one of his friends stated that Soyinka was picked up shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom.

The friend in the message said no reason was given for his arrest and Soyinka had been held incommunicado.

The message read, “Adejuwon Soyinka has been detained by officers of the Department of State Security at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The incident happened around 5.40 am on Sunday, the 25th of August, 2024, shortly after he arrived in Nigeria via a Virgin Atlantic flight from the United Kingdom.

“As at the time of this report, no reason had been given for his detention by the security agency. Soyinka has not been reachable as messages and calls to his phone have been unanswered.”

When contacted, the DSS spokesperson, Peter Afunanya said he was not aware of Soyinka’s arrest.

“I am not aware of the matter you have raised and have no comments on it,” he said.

Details later…

Source: https://punchng.com/JUST-IN-DSS-arrests-journalist-Soyinka-at-Lagos-airport

madridguy:
DSS knows better.

Georgry:


DSS knows knowing

Afonjatijati:
Peter Obi will still be blamed for this.
Watch

adenigga:


https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/727724-sss-detains-nigerian-journalist-adejuwon-soyinka.html

Curious345:
Abacha dey learn work now ooo

Georgry:


DSS knows knowing.

If you start arresting journalist arbitrarily, they will be too scared to do their job, when that happen een, congratulations you have successfully killed the media, which means you have successfully introduced a new system of government called "FASCISM", the media should be left out of all their politics, before you arrest a journalist you must have concrete evidence and charge the journalist to court immediately, but you're kidnapping them sometimes for weeks before anybody finds out their whereabouts, or just kidnapping them and start looking for evidence, that means you're cracking down on the media, and posterity will judge this government and you that is supporting the suppression of the media in Nigeria.