Fisayo Soyombo breaks silence after Army’s detention

 

Nigerian investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, has responded to his recent detention by the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division over allegations of involvement in illegal oil bunkering

The FIJ had earlier reported that its founder was detained by the army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State. However, in a statement issued on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Danjuma Jonah, Acting Deputy Director of Army Public Relations for the 6 Division, claimed Soyombo was arrested alongside other suspected oil thieves at an illegal oil bunkering site.

Amid public outcry, the army eventually released Soyombo on Friday night.In a statement on Saturday, Soyombo expressed gratitude to Nigerians for their efforts in securing his release. He said:

“I’m a free man today because of your social media engagements with #FreeFisayoNow and the publications/broadcasts by the traditional media. And I can prove it.

After my arrest at about 2 am on Wednesday, I was grilled by different levels of the Army until deep into the night. I didn’t return to my cell until at least 11 pm on Wednesday. My case was then forwarded to a superior office that was to interrogate me on Thursday.

Surprisingly, Thursday was uneventful; from morning until night, this office never sent for me. I soon learnt the Army would take ‘as long as it wanted’ to conduct their ‘investigation’ just to establish that I was indeed an investigative journalist.

To my utmost surprise, on Friday morning, at about 11 am or thereabouts, I was retrieved from my cell for transfer to the Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB). It was during the transfer that someone who ran into me asked to know my name, after which they said: ‘You’re the one; you’re in the news.’

Without your pressure, I’d still be in that cell by now, away from civilisation and held incommunicado. So, yes, my freedom is your freedom. This victory exists because of you, you and you. Thank you!”