Fisayo Soyombo the investigative journalist who was detained by the Nigeria Army in Port Harcourt has been released after a three-day ordeal.
The army claimed that Soyombo was picked up at an illegal bunkering site and he was held in detention for further investigations.
However, Mr. Soyombo said in a statement Saturday that he was asked to go home after being interrogated.
He wrote, “’Nigerians are not worth fighting for.’ I hear that every now and then, and I’ve always disbelieved it.
“Yesterday, you proved me right. You all are the reason my detention by HQ Nigerian Army lasted ‘only’ three days. I’m a free man today because of your social media engagements with #FreeFisayoNow and the publications/broadcasts by the traditional media. And I can prove it.
“After my arrest at about 2am on Wednesday, I was grilled by different levels of the Army until deep into the night. I didn’t return to my cell until at least 11pm on Wednesday. My case was then forwarded to a superior office that was to interrogate me on Thursday.
“Surprisingly, Thursday was uneventful; from morning until night, this office never sent for me. I soon learnt the Army would take ‘as long as it wanted’ to conduct their ‘investigation’ just to establish that I was indeed an investigative journalist.
“To my utmost surprise, on Friday morning, at about 11am or thereabouts, I was retrieved from my cell for transfer to the Military Intelligence Brigade (MIB). It was during the transfer that someone who ran into me asked to know my name, after which they said: “You’re the one; you’re in the news.”
He thank Nigerians for fighting for him.
“The hashtag #FreeFisayoNow trended widely across Nigerian social media platforms, garnering the attention of human rights activists, journalists, and concerned citizens. Traditional media outlets also amplified the campaign, raising questions about press freedom and the right to due process.
“Without your pressure, I’d still be in that cell by now, away from civilisation and held incommunicado. So, yes, my freedom is your freedom. This victory exists because of you, you and you. Thank you!”
