Adejuwon Soyinka, former BBC Pidgin Editor and current Conversation Africa Regional Editor, was detained by DSS at Lagos airport on August 25, 2024. No reasons for his arrest have been provided, and he remains unreachable, raising concerns about press freedom and transparency.
Adejuwon Soyinka, a prominent journalist and former BBC Pidgin Service Editor, was detained by the Department of State Security (DSS) on August 25, 2024, at Lagos’s Muritala Muhammed International Airport. Soyinka, who is currently the Regional Editor for West Africa at Conversation Africa, was apprehended at approximately 5:40 a.m. upon his arrival from the United Kingdom on a Virgin Atlantic flight.
As of now, the DSS has not disclosed the reasons behind Soyinka’s arrest. The lack of information has led to speculation, but no official statements have been made by the security agency. Soyinka has been unresponsive to attempts to reach him via phone or messages, adding to the uncertainty surrounding his situation.
This arrest has drawn attention amid a broader context of heightened security measures and political tensions in Nigeria. Recent related news includes the DSS’s warnings about potential unrest linked to protests, and other high-profile detentions and threats involving various groups within the country.
The development has sparked concern among Soyinka’s colleagues and advocates for press freedom, who are now calling for clarity and transparency regarding the reasons for his detention and his current condition.
