The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly detained Adejuwon Soyinka, a journalist and West African regional editor of The Conversation Africa.
Soyinka, a former pioneer editor of the BBC pidgin service, was reportedly arrested early Sunday morning by the secret police at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos.
Shoyinka’s friend hit about the arrest, The friend in the message said no reason was given for his arrest and Soyinka had been held incommunicado. as he has not taken his calls or responded to messages sent to him
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.
When contacted DSS for comments, Peter Afunanya, DSS spokesperson, said he was not aware of Soyinka’s arrest.
Security operatives have intensified attacks on journalists since the turn of the year by the present administration.
In March, Segun Olatunji, a former editor of FirstNews, was arrested in Lagos.
In May, Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), was detained by the police for 10 days.
In May, Jamil Mabai, a freelance journalist, was detained by the Katsina Hisbah religious police.
The Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre (NPF-NCCC) has also detained several journalists and whistleblowers over petitions filed against them.
