Fisayo Soyombo, a Nigerian investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), has responded to his detention by the Nigerian Army’s 6 Division over alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering.
FIJ had previously reported that Soyombo was detained by the army in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, under suspicion of being involved in illegal oil activities.
In a statement on Friday, the Nigerian Army clarified that Soyombo was arrested alongside other suspected oil thieves at an illegal oil bunkering site. Amid public outcry, the army released Soyombo late Friday night following pressure from various groups.
In a statement on Saturday, Soyombo expressed his gratitude to Nigerians for their support and advocacy. “I’m a free man today because of your social media campaigns with #FreeFisayoNow and the coverage by traditional media. I can prove it,” he said.
Soyombo detailed his experience, saying, “After my arrest around 2 a.m. on Wednesday, I was interrogated by various levels of the Army until late that night. I didn’t return to my cell until around 11 p.m. My case was then forwarded for further interrogation the next day.”
However, he noted that Thursday passed without any developments, and the Army took longer than expected to confirm his identity as a journalist. Soyombo’s situation changed on Friday morning when he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Brigade. During this transfer, a person recognized him and mentioned that he had been in the news.
Soyombo emphasized the importance of public pressure, saying, “Without your efforts, I’d still be in that cell, isolated and held incommunicado. This freedom is your victory. Thank you!”
