The Department of State Services (DSS) has clarified the reason for arresting Nigerian journalist Adejuwon Soyinka early on Sunday.
Soyinka, the West African Regional Editor for The Conversation Africa, was detained at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos around 5:40 a.m. shortly after arriving from the United Kingdom on a Virgin Atlantic flight.
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Initially, the reason for his arrest was unclear.
DSS spokesperson Peter Ifunnaya initially stated he was unaware of the arrest.
However, he later informed PREMIUM TIMES that Soyinka was intercepted based on a request from another government agency.
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“We are working on Adejuwon Soyinka’s case,” he confirmed in a text message to PREMIUM TIMES on Sunday.
However, Ifunnaya did not disclose the identity of the agency that requested Soyinka’s arrest.
Following his arrest, Soyinka was transported from Murtala Muhammed International Airport to the DSS headquarters annex in Lagos.
A DSS source informed PREMIUM TIMES that efforts were underway to contact the requesting agency for further instructions. The source added that if communication with the requesting agency is not established promptly, the journalist will be released and asked to return on Monday.
