Human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged that the Department of State Services (DSS) is refusing to release detained journalist Zainab Sodiq because news of her arrest was made public.
In a post shared on his X account on Wednesday, Sowore claimed that the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, was displeased that details of Sodiq’s detention had been disclosed and subsequently ordered that she remain in custody.
According to Sowore, human rights lawyer Marshal D.F. Abubakar visited the DSS headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday evening but was informed that Sodiq would no longer be released because the agency’s leadership was angered by the publicity surrounding her arrest.
The allegation follows earlier reports that Sodiq was detained after travelling to Abuja to retrieve a drone allegedly confiscated by DSS operatives while she was covering Sowore’s activities at the domestic wing of the Lagos airport.
Sources claimed that a DSS officer identified only as Musa had contacted the journalist and instructed her to come to Abuja to collect the equipment. However, after arriving in the Federal Capital Territory, Sodiq reportedly became unreachable, with her last known location traced to Yakubu Gowon Crescent.
Concerned associates said they repeatedly contacted the DSS officer, who initially assured them that Sodiq would soon be released. The officer later stopped responding to calls and reportedly blocked some of the phone numbers used to reach him.
As of Wednesday evening, Sowore maintained that Sodiq remained in DSS custody.
The DSS has not issued an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding her detention or whether she is under investigation for any offence.
The incident has renewed concerns among rights advocates over the alleged harassment and intimidation of journalists and individuals linked to Sowore’s political and human rights activities.
The DSS is currently prosecuting Sowore over social media posts in which he described President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.” Sowore and his supporters have consistently accused the agency of targeting his associates through surveillance, detention and intimidation.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the DSS regarding Sodiq’s detention and Sowore’s allegations were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.
