Adejuwon Soyinka, the Regional Editor for West Africa at The Conversation Africa and the founding Editor of BBC Pidgin Service, was reportedly arrested by officers of the Department of State Security (DSS) in Lagos. The incident took place early on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at Murtala Muhammed International Airport.
Soyinka had just arrived in Nigeria on a Virgin Atlantic flight from the United Kingdom when DSS officers detained him around 5:40 a.m. According to reports from a close friend who wished to remain anonymous, Soyinka was taken into custody shortly after his flight landed.
The reasons for Soyinka’s arrest remain unclear, as the DSS has not provided any explanation for his detention. Efforts to reach Soyinka have been unsuccessful, with calls and messages to his phone going unanswered.
“Adejuwon Soyinka was detained by officers of the Department of State Security at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. As of now, no reason has been provided by the security agency for his detention. Soyinka remains unreachable, with all attempts to contact him proving unsuccessful,” the close friend said in a statement shared with journalists.
Soyinka’s arrest has raised concerns among his colleagues and the broader journalism community, as no official information has been released regarding the circumstances of his detention. The situation has left many questioning the motive behind the arrest of the respected journalist.
This development follows a series of incidents involving the detention of journalists and media professionals in Nigeria, sparking debates about press freedom and the role of security agencies in the country.