Renowned investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, has accused the Nigerian Army of deliberately endangering his safety during an undercover investigation into illegal oil bunkering. Soyombo alleged that his arrest and subsequent detention by the army exposed him to significant risks, as the army’s public statements linked him to the illegal activities he was investigating.
SaharaReporters earlier reported that Soyombo was conducting the investigation when he was detained by the Nigerian Army. The army accused him of participating in illegal oil bunkering, keeping him incommunicado for three days before a public outcry forced his release.
Recounting the ordeal, Soyombo said, “I will be honest, it is the first time I have genuinely felt my security compromised. I believe the acting spokesman of the Nigerian Army deliberately compromised my security by releasing that statement and linking me to oil bunkerers. I was in detention, I made no mention of oil bunkering, now you’ve gone to tell illegal bunkerers that ‘look, this guy was on your trail.’”
The journalist explained that his investigation had uncovered widespread corruption, including instances where illegal bunkerers bribed security officials. However, he claimed that his efforts to expose the illegal operations angered some individuals in the security setup who were upset about not receiving bribes.
“There was no arrest; the Nigerian Army did not arrest me,” Soyombo clarified. “They spotted me, flashed their torch, and I came out and wanted to open a conversation.”
Soyombo revealed that he did not initially identify himself as a journalist because he had been informed that the soldiers present were ones who had not been “settled” by the illegal operators. “I didn’t show them my ID because the illegal bunkerers had said they had settled everyone. I thought it was a settlement conversation, so I just came forward,” he said.
Addressing why he chose not to involve the Nigerian Army in his investigation, Soyombo cited his lack of trust in public institutions. “I didn’t trust the army, I didn’t carry them along. Known illegal oil bunkerers were bribing different people in various security formations, and I would endanger my life by carrying them along if I didn’t know who was who,” he explained.
The journalist disclosed that he only revealed his identity as an undercover journalist after being taken to the 6th Division. He provided evidence of his work to clarify his intentions, yet he faced intimidation during his detention.
Soyombo’s ordeal has sparked widespread condemnation, with many criticizing the Nigerian Army for its treatment of the journalist and the lack of protection for investigative reporting in the country.
“The press is not free in a number of ways, and one of them is that people in authority, especially in security, don’t want to hear the word ‘investigation,’” Soyombo lamented. “Every encounter I have had with the police, the military, once I say, ‘I was investigating,’ something just changes in them. They don’t want the press to do any form of independent work.”
The episode highlights the challenges faced by investigative journalists in Nigeria, who often risk their lives to expose corruption and wrongdoing in the face of institutional resistance and threats.
Soyombo’s revelations underscore the urgent need for stronger protections for journalists and greater accountability within the country’s security apparatus to ensure that those exposing wrongdoing are not punished for their work.