DSS detains investigative journalist, Soyinka, at Lagos Airport, raising concerns over press freedom

In a recent incident impacting press freedom in Nigeria, Adejuwon Soyinka, an investigative journalist and Regional Editor for West Africa at The Conversation Africa, was detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

The arrest took place at about 5:40 am, shortly after Soyinka arrived from the UK on a Virgin Atlantic flight. Witnesses reported that DSS officers detained Soyinka during immigration checks but did not offer any explanation for his arrest.

Efforts to contact Soyinka have been unsuccessful, increasing concerns among his colleagues and press freedom advocates who are seeking more information. Soyinka, renowned for his investigative journalism and as the former Pioneer Editor of the BBC Pidgin Service, has played a key role in providing critical news coverage in West Africa.

READ ALSO:DSS uncovers plan to infiltrate planned #EndBadGovernance protest

The DSS has not yet provided any official statement or reason for Soyinka’s detention, leading to fears that his arrest could be connected to his journalistic work. Human rights and press freedom organizations have criticized the detention and are calling for Soyinka’s immediate release.

The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged Nigerian authorities to respect journalists’ rights and avoid actions that threaten press freedom. “Journalists must be able to work without fear of retaliation or interference,” the CPJ stated.

Soyinka’s detention raises broader questions about press freedom in Nigeria, where journalists often face intimidation and violence. The DSS’s history of handling journalists and activists adds to concerns about the current situation, potentially straining relations between the media and the government.

By: Olamide Ayoade

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now