DSS Under Fire for Journalist Detention: Zainab Sodiq Case Ignites Press Freedom Concerns

Journalist Zainab Sodiq has been detained by the Department of State Services (DSS), which confirmed her interception on July 6 at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos. According to DSS spokesperson Favour Dozie, Sodiq was travelling to Abuja with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, without the required End User Certificate (EUC), a document mandated under national security regulations for the acquisition and use of certain drones in Nigeria. The agency stated that Sodiq admitted to not possessing the necessary document. Although allowed to continue her journey to Abuja due to a prior engagement, she was directed to report to DSS headquarters for further investigation. The DSS clarified that this investigation is conducted under regulations issued by the Office of the National Security Adviser, which empower security agencies to impound drones and sanction individuals or organizations operating them without clearance, citing critical security concerns related to drone operations, including privacy and public safety. The service reaffirmed its commitment to professionalism and the rule of law.

However, activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore presented a counter-narrative, alleging that Sodiq, who covers his activities as a journalist, was detained to frustrate the perfection of his bail. Sowore rejected the DSS explanation, asserting that the DJI Mavic Air drone belonged to him and had been routinely used for media coverage of elections and other public events. He claimed he informed DSS personnel at the airport that the drone was his and Sodiq was merely transporting it. Sowore further stated he instructed Sodiq to leave the drone with airport officials and proceed to Abuja because she was carrying his international passport, which he needed to deposit in court to meet his bail conditions. His bail had been renewed on June 30 by a Federal High Court in Abuja, requiring the deposit of his international passport. Sowore alleged that Zainab Sodiq was detained upon her arrival at the DSS headquarters in Abuja after she honored an invitation regarding the seized drone, claiming the real motive was to prevent his passport from reaching Abuja in time to perfect his bail and return him to custody. The DSS statement, notably, did not mention Sowore, his court case, or his allegations, strictly maintaining that its investigation pertained solely to Sodiq’s alleged failure to possess the required End User Certificate.

Reports from SaharaReporters and concerned associates provided further details on Sodiq's continued detention. Sodiq was reportedly contacted by a DSS officer identified only as Musa and instructed to travel to Abuja to collect the drone that had been seized from her. However, upon her arrival in Abuja to retrieve the equipment, Sodiq became unreachable, with her last known location traced to Yakubu Gowon Crescent in the Federal Capital Territory. Associates who repeatedly contacted the DSS officer initially received assurances that Sodiq would “soon be done” and released, but the officer subsequently stopped answering calls and reportedly blocked some of the numbers. As of Wednesday evening, Sodiq remained in DSS custody. Sowore later posted an update on his X account alleging that the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, was displeased that news of Sodiq's detention had been made public and had consequently ordered her to remain in custody, an allegation made after his human rights lawyer, Marshal D. F. Abubakar, was reportedly informed of this during a visit to the DSS headquarters.

The Take It Back Movement swiftly condemned Sodiq's arrest and detention, describing the action as unlawful and demanding her immediate and unconditional release. In a statement by National Coordinator Juwon Sanyaolu, the movement alleged that Sodiq was arrested solely for performing her duties as a journalist covering the public activities of Omoyele Sowore. The group characterized the arrest as “yet another dangerous assault on press freedom, democracy and human rights” under the administration of President Bola Tinubu. It emphasized that journalism is not a crime, reporting on public figures is not an offense, and the Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the press, which no security agency has the authority to criminalize. The movement accused the DSS of fostering impunity through arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, intimidation, and harassment of journalists and activists, alleging the agency prioritizes targeting citizens over addressing national security challenges. It warned that the continued persecution of journalists could undermine accountability and transparency, insisting that “an attack on one journalist is an attack on the public's right to know.” The movement demanded public disclosure of the legal basis for her arrest and urged the DSS to desist from intimidating journalists and citizens exercising their constitutional rights, appealing to media organizations and civil society groups to speak out against the growing repression.

This incident has heightened existing concerns over alleged harassment and intimidation tactics employed by the DSS against journalists, activists, and associates connected with Omoyele Sowore. Sowore is currently facing trial over alleged cybercrime and criminal defamation linked to social media posts about President Bola Tinubu, charges he denies. He and his supporters have consistently accused the secret police of targeting individuals associated with his political and human rights activities through surveillance, harassment, detention, and intimidation. The reported detention of Sodiq, especially after she was allegedly invited to retrieve professional equipment previously seized from her, has raised fresh alarms regarding the methods used by the secret police against journalists covering opposition political figures and human rights activists.