DSS Reportedly Detain Female Journalist

The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly detained female journalist, Zainab Sodiq who covered activities of human rights activist and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore.

Sodiq’s drone used in covering Sowore at the domestic airport in Lagos was reportedly seized earlier by the DSS.

She was later said to have been contacted and asked to come to Abuja to pick the equipment seized from her by a DSS officer called Musa.

Sodiq was unreachable after he arrived in Abuja to collect the drone, the report said.

Her last known location was said to have been tracked to the area of Yakubu Gowon Crescent, Federal Capital Territory.

Concerned colleagues were said to have made several attempts to contact the DSS officer who allegedly invited her to Abuja.

The lawsuit said the officer initially told callers that Sodiq would be “soon be done,” and released, before stopping answering calls and blocking some of the numbers used to reach him.

As of the time of filing this report, the DSS had not publicly explained the circumstances surrounding Sodiq’s reported detention or disclosed whether she had been accused of any offence.

The DSS is prosecuting Sowore for social media posts in which he referred to President Bola Tinubu as “a criminal.”