Nigerian investigative journalist Adejuwon Soyinka has regained possession of his passport following a controversial detention by the State Security Service (SSS).
The incident, which began on August 25, 2024, at Lagos’ Murtala Muhammed International Airport, concluded on Friday when Soyinka collected his travel document from the SSS office in Ikoyi.
Soyinka, known for his work as the West Africa Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was held for questioning upon his arrival from London.
The SSS initially claimed he was on a government watchlist but later attributed the detention to a case of mistaken identity.
Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong, who accompanied Soyinka to retrieve his passport, commented on the SSS’s explanation, noting it was not unexpected.
The journalist had been released after eight hours of interrogation, but his passport remained in SSS custody for nearly a week.
The International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria chapter has responded to the incident, with its president, Musikilu Mojeed, expressing concern over the SSS’s actions.
The organisation is calling for accountability and has requested a formal apology from the security agency to Soyinka.
News About Nigeria reported that Soyinka, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was arrested last Sunday, shortly after arriving from the UK.
According to a report by Punch, a friend of Soyinka’s raised the alarm, revealing that he was apprehended around 5:40 a.m. on August 25, 2024, after disembarking from a Virgin Atlantic flight.
The friend stated that no explanation was given for the arrest, and Soyinka was held without access to communication.
Initially, DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya claimed he was unaware of Soyinka’s arrest, despite multiple attempts by newsmen to confirm the situation.
However, he later acknowledged that Soyinka was detained at the request of another agency.
