The Department of State Services (DSS) has released Nigerian journalist Adejuwon Soyinka after detaining him for over six hours on Sunday.
Soyinka, the West African Regional Editor for The Conversation Africa, was arrested at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos around 5:40 a.m. upon his arrival from the United Kingdom on a Virgin Atlantic flight.
He was transported from the airport to the DSS headquarters annex in Ikoyi, Lagos, where he remained in detention until approximately 12:30 p.m., when he was granted bail.
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The release followed intervention by the International Press Institute (IPI) Nigeria.
As part of his bail conditions, the DSS retained his passport and required him to provide his Nigerian address and a reliable phone number for further contact.
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Soyinka confirmed his release in a text message to PREMIUM TIMES at about 1:26 p.m. on Sunday.
I have just been released by the DSS in Lagos. They are holding on to my passport, though. I am in an Uber ride ordered for me by the Deputy Director of DSS in Lagos,” his text message read.
He promised to share more about his experience once he returns home.
The reason for his arrest was not immediately clear, but the DSS later informed PREMIUM TIMES that the journalist was “intercepted” based on a request from another government agency.
However, DSS spokesperson Peter Ifunnaya, who confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES, did not disclose the identity of the requesting agency or the specific charges against Soyinka.
