Soyombo sounds alarm, says Customs plotting to him over smuggling exposé
By Ishaya Ibrahim
Investigative journalist Fisayo Soyombo has raised an alarm over a plot by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to arrest him.
Soyombo who recently went undercover in a bid to burst a crude oil theft, said he became aware of the plot to arrest him because of his work in exposing Customs complicity in smuggling.
He said the Customs was working with the police and army to put him behind bars as a retaliation to a resolution by the House of Representatives to probe the alleged complicity of customs officials in smuggling into Nigeria’s borders.
Soyombo said: “Last night, I became aware of your ongoing plans to arrest me, working in concert with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian military.
“Until now, all Customs officers tried to do was either bribe or kill me. Twice this year, I have been warned about threats by your men to either ‘take me down’ or ‘execute’ me.
“But an arrest? This is a first for Customs. And this is being considered because of last week’s motion by the House of Representatives to probe the complicity of Customs in smuggling, following several months of my ‘Good morning Nigeria Customs’ tweets.
“I am by this tweet holding you responsible for my safety. Should I go missing, Nigerians now know that I am with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).”