BREAKING: DSS Arrests Investigative Journalist Soyinka as Tinubu's Govt Intensifies Crackdown on press freedom

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The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested investigative journalist Adejuwon Soyinka, marking another instance of what is perceived as a broader crackdown on the media by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

Soyinka, the Regional Editor of The Conversation Africa, was reportedly detained at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos shortly after his arrival from the United Kingdom on Sunday, August 25, 2024.

According to a distress message sent to *The PUNCH* by one of Soyinka’s friends, the journalist was apprehended around 5:40 a.m. after disembarking from a Virgin Atlantic flight. The friend stated that no reason was provided for Soyinka’s detention, and he has since been held incommunicado.

“Adejuwon Soyinka has been detained by officers of the Department of State Security at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos. The incident happened around 5.40 am on Sunday, the 25th of August, 2024, shortly after he arrived in Nigeria via a Virgin Atlantic flight from the United Kingdom,” the message read. “As at 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 been unanswered.”

When contacted, DSS spokesperson Peter Afunanya claimed to be unaware of the arrest, stating, “I am not aware of the matter you have raised and have no comments on it.”

Investigative Journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka.

This arrest follows a series of detentions of journalists and media figures since President Bola Tinubu assumed office. Notably, it comes on the heels of the arrest of the popular whistleblower known by the X handle @PIDOMNigeria. These actions have raised concerns about the shrinking space for press freedom in Nigeria, with accusations of harassment, brutality, and dehumanization of journalists by state security forces.

Critics argue that these moves are part of a deliberate effort by the government to stifle dissent and suppress investigative reporting that could expose wrongdoing within the administration. The continued detention of journalists without explanation is seen by many as a serious threat to the democratic principles of free speech and press freedom in Nigeria.