Men of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) have arrested Nigerian investigative journalist and Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, Adejuwon Soyinka. Soyinka was detained early Sunday morning, August 25, 2024, at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos, shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom.
According to a distress message from one of Soyinka’s friends, the journalist was taken into custody around 5:40 a.m. after landing on a Virgin Atlantic flight. No reason was given for his arrest, and he is reportedly being held incommunicado.
“Adejuwon Soyinka has been detained by officers of the Department of State Security at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos,” the message stated. “As of the time of this report, no reason had been given for his detention by the security agency. Soyinka has not been reachable as messages and calls to his phone have gone unanswered.”
The DSS has yet to issue an official statement confirming the arrest. When contacted, DSS spokesman Peter Afunanya said, “I am not aware of the matter you have raised and have no comments on it.”