The Nigerian Army has confirmed the arrest and detention of investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo, the founder of Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Army claims Soyombo was apprehended during an operation targeting illegal oil bunkering activities.
In an official statement on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma John Danjuma, Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, explained, “Intelligence revealed the existence of a notorious gang of oil thieves noted for bursting pipelines and illegal connections for oil theft in the region.”
He further stated that troops conducted a deliberate operation and “swooped on the site, where arrests were made, including one Fisayo Soyombo who was also arrested at the scene.”
FIJ initially reported that Soyombo had been detained for three days, with his gadgets seized and communication blocked.
“The Army must preserve his evidence and truth. Don’t destroy the evidence. We insist the truth must come out,” the organization emphasized.
The arrest triggered widespread reactions on social media. Ridwan Oke, a Lagos-based lawyer, noted, “He has done tonnes of work exposing evil in this country. The Nigerian Military has held him in custody for three days. He’s just a journalist trying to make this country work.”
Human rights activist Rinu Oduala expressed shock, asking rhetorically, “Isn’t this madness? Why is the Nigerian army detaining Fisayo Shoyombo for God’s sake? What kind of country is this?”
Another social media user, @OfficialEdoOsasB, described the situation more critically, stating, “Nigeria is a Banana Republic filled with dictators. We’re not in a democracy.”
The incident highlights the challenging environment for journalists in Nigeria. Reporters Without Borders ranked Nigeria 123 out of 180 countries in its 2023 global press freedom report, noting that Nigerian journalists are “regularly monitored, attacked and arbitrarily arrested” with crimes against them often going unpunished.
Various civil society organizations, including Amnesty International and SERAP, have taken to social media calling for Soyombo’s release.
The Nigerian Army, however, maintains that Soyombo’s arrest is directly connected to the investigation of oil theft activities in the region.
The Army’s statement reassured the public of its “commitment and responsiveness in ensuring the activities of criminal gangs, particularly oil thieves, are drastically curbed in the region.”
