Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Take It Back Movement has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq by the Department of State Services (DSS), describing the action as unlawful and a dangerous assault on press freedom, democracy, and human rights. In a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Juwon Sanyaolu, on Wednesday, 8 July 2026, the group alleged that Sodiq was arrested in Abuja solely for carrying out her professional duties as a journalist covering the public activities of activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.
According to the movement, the arrest of journalists for reporting on public events has no place in a democratic society. "Journalism is not a crime. Reporting the activities of public figures is not an offence. The Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and freedom of the press, and no security agency has the authority to criminalise legitimate journalistic work," the statement read. The group further accused the DSS of fostering a culture of impunity through arbitrary arrests, unlawful detentions, intimidation, and harassment of journalists, activists, and other dissenting voices.
The controversy surrounding Sodiq's detention deepened following reports that she was allegedly lured to Abuja by a DSS operative identified only as "Musa," who contacted her to retrieve a drone earlier seized from her while she covered Sowore at the domestic airport in Lagos. According to sources familiar with the matter, Sodiq travelled to Abuja to collect the equipment but has since been unreachable. Her last known location was traced to Yakubu Gowon Crescent in the Federal Capital Territory. Concerned colleagues said they repeatedly reached out to the DSS officer who invited her. The officer initially assured them that Sodiq would "soon be done" and released, but later stopped responding to calls and reportedly blocked some of the numbers used to contact him.
In an update posted on his X account on Wednesday evening, Sowore claimed that the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, was displeased that news of Sodiq's detention had been made public and had consequently ordered that she remain in custody. "The latest update is that human rights lawyer Marshal D. F. Abubakar visited lawless DSS headquarters this evening but was told the DG of lawless DSS, Tosin Ajayi, is upset that I posted about their illegal arrest of Zainab Sodiq and as such they will no longer release her!" Sowore wrote.
The Take It Back Movement demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Sodiq and called on the DSS to publicly disclose the legal basis for her arrest. "We also demand that the DSS publicly disclose the legal basis for her arrest and desist from using state power to intimidate journalists and citizens exercising their lawful rights," the organisation said. The movement further appealed to media organisations, civil society groups, democratic forces, and human rights advocates to speak out against what it described as growing repression. It reiterated its commitment to using lawful means to resist any attempt to criminalise journalism, suppress dissent, and erode the democratic rights of Nigerians.
As of the time of this report, the DSS had not issued any official statement regarding Sodiq's whereabouts or the reason for her detention. The agency is currently prosecuting Sowore over social media posts in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as "a criminal." Sowore and his supporters have repeatedly accused the secret police of targeting individuals associated with his political and human rights activities through surveillance, harassment, detention, and intimidation. The incident has heightened concerns over the safety of journalists and the state of press freedom in Nigeria, with the movement warning that "an attack on one journalist is an attack on the public's right to know."
📩 Stone Reporters News | 🌍 stonereportersnews.com
✉️ info@stonereportersnews.com | 📘 Facebook: Stone Reporters News | 🐦 X (Twitter): @StoneReportNew | 📸 Instagram: @stonereportersnews
Add comment
Comments