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DSS Allegedly Plans Arrest Of Investigative Journalist Fisayo Soyombo

Published

7 months ago

Sep 19, 2024.

The Department of State Services (DSS) is reportedly planning to arrest Fisayo Soyombo, the founder and editor-in-chief of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).

According to an anonymous security official, the DSS is actively tracking Soyombo’s location and could detain him at any moment once his whereabouts are confirmed.

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EKO HOT BLOG reports that while the exact reason for the DSS’s interest in Soyombo remains unclear, it is speculated that it may be linked to his work as an investigative journalist. Soyombo is known for his undercover reporting, critical commentary on X (formerly Twitter), and his leadership at FIJ.

Recently, Soyombo released an explosive undercover investigation titled “Undercover As A Smuggler,” which exposed illegal smuggling and arms trafficking operations in Nigeria.

DSS Journalist Fisayo Soyombo

The report implicated several high-ranking officials, including the current Comptroller-General of Customs, Hussein Ejibunu, and other senior officers of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS). In the investigation, a notorious smuggler, IBD Dende, was even caught on camera threatening to kill an Assistant Superintendent of Customs who had intercepted his goods.

Soyombo’s posts on X have also drawn attention for their sharp criticisms of the DSS itself, highlighting the agency’s reputation for targeting journalists and activists. FIJ’s investigative reporting included a recent exposé on First Lady Oluremi Tinubu’s receipt of N700 million from the state house to purchase foreign currency for official trips between November and March.

Recall that Fisayo Soyombo was detained by the Inspector General of Police’s Monitoring Unit and the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre, both times after voluntarily responding to police invitations.

In 2016, the Nigerian Army accused him of subversion after his investigative series on the treatment of injured soldiers during the Boko Haram conflict. And in 2019, after an undercover stint in police custody and Ikoyi Prison, the Nigeria Immigration Service considered arresting him but retreated following public outcry.

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