The Nigerian Army on Friday said Fisayo Soyombo, a Nigerian journalist and founder of the the Foundation for Investigative Journalism was arrested an illegal bunkering site.
In a statement titled “Alleged Detention of Journalist in Port Harcourt, Misleading” signed by the Danjuma Danjuma, acting deputy director, 6 Division Army Public Relations, stated that arrest of Fisayo contained “falsehood and misinformation.”
The FIJ earlier on Friday announced that the 6 Division of the Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, has held Fisayo for three days and he is yet to be released.
“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 another tweet, the FIJ stated, “All his devices have been seized. The Army must preserve his evidence and truth. Don’t destroy the evidence. We insist the truth must come out. It’s in your custody, don’t destroy the evidence. #FreeFisayoNow”
Fisayo is a prominent undercover journalist who has uncovered high profile cases including prison system rot, smuggling cases, including several reports on the customs service.
In one of his investigations, he spent five days in a police cell as a suspect and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison — to track corruption in Nigeria’s criminal justice system, after which the authorities contemplated arresting him.
In another investigation, he also drove the equivalent of a stolen vehicle from Abuja to Lagos, passing through a whopping 86 checkpoints in a journey of over 1,600 km that lasted a cumulative 28hours 17minutes.
Danjuma disclosed that recently, 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 trailled 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 acting Director further disclosed that the suspects are currently undergoing preliminary investigation to ascertain their level of involvement or otherwise.
“Therefore, his arrest is not unconnected with the activities of these oil thieves in the region,” he said.
He reassures the public of the Division’s commitment and responsiveness in ensuring the activities of criminal gangs, particularly oil thieves, are drastically curbed in the region.
“This, it is hoped will shore up oil and gas production in the country,” he stated.
In March 2024, the Nigeria Police Force asked Bukky Shonibare, the chair of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) Board of Trustees, to produce Fisayo, FIJ’s executive director and editor-in-chief.
This request came in the wake of an investigative report by FIJ that brought to light several irregularities within the nation’s customs service. The police’s invitation is perceived to be a direct response to these revelations.
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