A South Africa-based online news platform, The Conversation Africa, has strongly condemned the harassment of its West Africa editor and investigative journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka, by the Department of State Services (DSS). Soyinka was detained for six hours on Sunday by the DSS upon his arrival at Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, from the United Kingdom.
According to reports, Soyinka was questioned by DSS operatives, who informed him that his name had been placed on a watchlist by an unnamed state security agency. However, no specific reasons were provided for his detention. After six hours, Soyinka was released, but his passport was withheld pending confirmation from the agency that placed him on the watchlist.
The release of Soyinka followed the intervention of the International Press Institute, an organization dedicated to defending press freedom globally.
In response to the incident, The Conversation Africa issued a statement on Sunday, expressing deep concern over the implications of Soyinka’s detention for journalism and academic freedom. The news platform emphasized that the harassment of journalists and scholars poses a serious threat to the pillars of a free and democratic society.
“Soyinka’s harassment will have a chilling effect, not only on journalism but on the academy, too. Both – media and academic freedoms, which are mutually beneficial – are key pillars of a free and democratic society. Journalists and scholars should be free to make facts public, however inconvenient those facts might be for those in power,” the statement read.
The Conversation Africa stressed the importance of protecting the rights of journalists and academics to report and discuss facts without fear of intimidation or retaliation. The platform called for an end to such harassment, highlighting that a free press is essential for holding those in power accountable and ensuring transparency in governance.
The incident has sparked concerns among press freedom advocates, who view Soyinka’s detention as part of a broader pattern of increasing pressure on journalists in Nigeria. The situation underscores the ongoing challenges faced by media professionals in the country and the need for vigilance in safeguarding press freedoms.
