The Nigerian Army has released Fisayo Soyombo, founder and Editor-in-chief of Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ).
This development, according to the FIJ, came following the intense media campaign mounted with the hashtag #FreeFisayoNow.
In a social media post on Friday, FIJ announced that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, had been holding Fisayo for three days.
“The 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt has been detaining our founder @fisayosoyombo for 3 days running. Journalism is not a crime! #FreeFisayoNow,” the FIJ tweeted.
In its reaction, the Army said Fisayo was arrested at an illegal bunkering site.
In a statement titled “Alleged Detention of Journalist in Port Harcourt, Misleading” signed by Danjuma Danjuma, acting deputy director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, stated that stories about the arrest of Fisayo contained “falsehood and misinformation.”
Danjuma said intelligence revealed the existence of a notorious gang of oil thieves noted for bursting pipelines and illegal connections for oil theft in the region after the Division had scaled up its anti-illegal oil bunkering operations.
He said, “In a deliberate operation conducted, troops trailed the criminals to an illegal oil bunkering site. In a subsequent operation carried out, troops swooped on the site, where arrests were made, including one Fisayo Soyombo who was also arrested at the scene.”
The media outlet confirmed Fisayo’s release on Friday: “We can confirm that our founder @fisayosoyombo has now been released by @HQNigerianArmy, following the intense media campaign you all mounted.”
“FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army’s deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in “illegal oil bunkering. FIJ will also address this statement appropriately,” it added.
However, FIJ disclosed that its immediate concern is regarding the safety of Fisayo given extensive information sharing with the Army on his fieldwork during his detention.
“We are assessing the situation and hoping that his safety will not be jeopardised after release,” FIJ said.
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