Condemnations have trailed the detention of investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo by the Nigerian Army at an oil-bunkering site in Port-Harcourt, Rivers State.
Recall that Spokesperson for the 6 Division, Lt-Col. ?anjuma ?anjuma, stated on Friday that Soyombo was arrested during an operation against crude oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
Amnesty International, in its condemnation, described the arbitrary arrest as unlawful and called for his immediate and unconditional release. Fisayo has been in military detention and out of reach since 26 Nov. in utter disregard for the rule of law. This draconian trend is sending the wrong signal and can force journalists to live in perpetual fear for daring to investigate and report on issues of public interest, the organisation said.
Amnesty International also criticised President Bola Tinubu for allegedly targeting at least 11 journalists and bloggers in their line of duty, demanding that authorities end hostility toward human rights.
Human rights activist Deji Adeyanju accused the Navy of using anti-oil theft operations as a guise to hide its complicity in crude oil theft. He called the arrest an attack on press freedom and an attempt to silence efforts to expose corruption. This detention undermines accountability and must end immediately, he said.
Criticising the Nigerian Army for overlooking the Navys alleged involvement in oil theft, Adeyanju further stated that the arrest and seizure of Soyombos equipment are clear attempts to intimidate investigative journalism, insisting that, Nigerians deserve transparency on oil theft, and silencing journalists like Fisayo erodes public trust. His release is critical to upholding democracy and justice.
He urged the Government to respect press freedom and called on Nigerians, civil society, and the media to resist suppression, emphasizing the need to protect investigative journalism to expose systemic corruption and safeguard democracy.
Similarly, leader of the #TakeItBack Movement, Omoyele Sowore, dismissed the Nigerian Armys statement, citing Soyombos detention as watery and an attempt to cover-up security agencies involvement in illegal oil bunkering.
Demanding Soyombos immediate release, he insisted that only the police have the authority to investigate or prosecute crimes, adding that the Armys investigative power is limited to its personnel.
