SSS blames journalist Soyinka’s arrest on ‘possible mistaken identity’

Multiple-award-winning investigative journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka, can now heave a sigh of relief after the State Security Service (SSS) blamed his arrest on a “possible mistaken identity.”

The pioneer editor of the BBC Pidgin Service was released on Friday, 30 August, on self-recognisance while his passport was withheld after he was detained and interrogated for about eight hours at both the Department of State Security (DSS) Airport Command and the agency’s Ikoyi office.

Mr Soyinka, a two-time Emmy-nominated investigative journalist and West Africa Regional Editor at The Conversation Africa, was arrested at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) shortly after arriving on a Virgin Atlantic flight from London, UK, on Sunday, 25 August.

The SSS stated that Mr. Soyinka’s name was placed on its watchlist at the request of an unnamed government agency. It later blamed the entire saga on a possible mistaken identity.

Reacting to the development, Mr Inibehe Effiong, a human rights activist and public interest lawyer, who accompanied Mr Soyinka on a visit to the SSS office in Ikoyi, said he was not surprised by a possible mistaken identity flaw.

In his reaction, the President of the Nigerian chapter of the International Press Institute (IPI Nigeria), Musikilu Mojeed, said his organisation was shocked that the SSS could violate the rights of a law-abiding citizen the way it has done.

“IPI Nigeria will consult with Mr. Soyinka to decide how to respond to this unbelievable demonstration of incompetence by operatives of a key intelligence agency,” Mr. Mojeed said.

“There must be accountability in this matter. All those involved in the unfortunate saga must answer for their roles. A good starting point is for the SSS to issue a formal apology to Mr. Soyinka for the inconvenience and psychological anguish caused him.

“Also, we would like a commitment from the agency that it will henceforth desist from exhibiting this kind of reckless, undemocratic, and unprofessional behaviour towards law-abiding citizens.”