Army had earlier claimed it arrested Soyombo after finding him at the scene of oil bunkering operations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Nigerian Army has finally released ace journalist and Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) after spending 3 days in detention.
His release was confirmed by his organization FIJ on Friday.
TheNiche had earlier reported that the Nigerian Army claimed it arrested Soyombo after finding him at the scene of oil bunkering operations in Port Harcourt, the capital of Rivers State.
A post on social media by Danjuma Jonah Danjuma, a Lieutenant Colonel who is the Acting Deputy Director of 6 Division Army Public Relations, said the journalist’s arrest was in connection with its investigation on oil bunkering activities.
The post reads: “The Headquarters, 6 Division, Nigerian Army, has expressed concern over allegations circulating on social media that it detained an investigative journalist in Port Harcourt. While the Division does not typically engage with the purveyors of falsehoods, it is necessary to set the record straight.
“As part of its intensified operations against illegal oil bunkering, the 6 Division Nigerian Army has recorded significant successes. Recent intelligence uncovered the activities of a notorious gang involved in pipeline vandalism and illegal oil connections in the region. In a carefully planned operation, troops tracked the suspects to an illegal oil bunkering site. During the operation, multiple arrests were made, including that of Mr Fisayo Soyombo, who was found at the scene.”
ALSO READ: Why we arrested Investigative Journalist Fisayo Soyombo – Nigerian Army
However, in a post on X on Friday evening, FIJ confirmed the Soyombo has been released by the Nigerian Army.
“We can confirm that our founder@fisayosoyombo has now been released by@HQNigerianArmy, following the intense media campaign you all mounted,” the tweet read.
“FIJ acknowledges the Nigerian Army’s deliberate mischaracterisation to suggest an involvement in “illegal oil bunkering.” FIJ will also address this statement appropriately.
“Our immediate concern is regarding the safety of Fisayo Soyombo in view of extensive information sharing with the Army on his fieldwork during the period of his detention. We are assessing the situation and hoping that his safety will not be jeopardized after release.”
Fisayo Soyombo is known for his undercover investigative works that have exposed fraud in the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Customs, and many other sectors.
