Investigative journalist and founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Fisayo Soyombo, on Saturday thanked Nigerians for the public pressure that led to his release from detention by the Nigerian Army.
Soyombo, who was detained by the Nigerian Army’s 6th Division in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said public support through the #FreeFisayoNow campaign and media coverage changed the odds in his favour.
“Nigerians are not worth fighting for.” I hear that every now and then, and I’ve always disbelieved it,” he said.
“You all are the reason my detention… lasted ‘only’ three days. I’m a free man today because of your social media engagements… Without your pressure, I’d still be in that cell by now.”
He recounted his arrest at about 2:00 am on Wednesday, stating that despite identifying himself as an investigative journalist, he was subjected to hours of intense questioning and held incommunicado.
“Yesterday, you proved me right. You all are the reason my detention by the Nigerian Army lasted ‘only’ three days. I’m a free man today because of your social media engagements with #FreeFisayoNow and the publications/broadcasts by the traditional media. And I can prove it,” he said.
“After my arrest at about 2:00 am on Wednesday, I was grilled by different levels of the Army until deep into the night. I didn’t return to my cell until at least 11pm on Wednesday. My case was then forwarded to a superior office that was to interrogate me on Thursday.
“Surprisingly, Thursday was uneventful; from morning until night, this office never sent for me. I soon learnt the Army would take “as long as it wanted” to conduct their “investigation” just to establish that I was indeed an investigative journalist.”
Soyombo said the turning point came on Friday when he was transferred to the Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB).
During the transfer, Soyombo said a passerby recognised him from the news, saying, “to my utmost surprise, on Friday morning, at about 11 am or thereabouts, I was retrieved from my cell for transfer to the Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB).
“It was during the transfer that someone who ran into me asked to know my name, after which they said: “You’re the one; you’re in the news.
“Without your pressure, I’d still be in that cell by now, away from civilisation and held incommunicado. So, yes, my freedom is your freedom. This victory exists because of you, you and you.”
