Operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Adejuwon Soyinka, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, early Sunday morning.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Soyinka was detained around 5 am upon his arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos after returning from the United Kingdom. The arrest was revealed by fellow journalist Dayo Aiyetan, who shared the news on X, stating that the former BBC Pidgin Editor was taken into custody by the secret police.
Calls for Immediate Release
Global rights organization Amnesty International has called for Soyinka’s immediate and unconditional release. In a statement on X, Amnesty International expressed concern about the potential risks Soyinka faces while in detention.
“The Nigerian authorities must immediately and unconditionally release journalist Juwon Soyinka, who was arrested by the Dept. of State Services (DSS) early today at Lagos airport. The manner of his arrest puts him at the risk of torture and other ill-treatment,” the group stated.
Similarly, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) condemned the arrest, urging the government to stop persecuting journalists for performing their duties.
“We’re concerned that Soyinka’s arrest is part of a growing crackdown against journalists, whistleblowers, and human rights defenders in Nigeria. The harassment and intimidation of journalists show that the Tinubu administration is intolerant of peaceful dissent. This is entirely incompatible with democratic principles and the rule of law,” SERAP said.
