DSS releases journalist Soyinka’s passport, blames arrests on mistaken identity

The Department of State Services has returned the seized passport of award-winning investigative journalist, Adejuwon Soyinka.

Soyinka, who was accompanied to the DSS’ office in Ikoyi, Lagos by Human Rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, retrieved his passport on Friday.

The PUNCH reports that Soyinka, who is the West Africa Regional Editor at The Conversation Africa, was arrested on Sunday at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport. https://punchng.com/just-in-dss-arrests-journalist-soyinka-at-lagos-airport/

He was later held and interrogated for about eight hours at both the DSS Airport Command and the agency’s Ikoyi office.

Soyinka was later released while his passport was withheld. https://punchng.com/dss-releases-journalist-soyinka-withholds-passport/

After his release, Soyinka told our correspondent that the DSS didn’t prefer any allegations against him.

He added that his name was placed on the service watchlist at the request of an unnamed government agency.

But Effiong, on Friday, stated that after Soyinka got his passport back, the DSS operatives blamed his arrest and detention on possible mistaken identity.

He said, “I went with Soyinka to retrieve his passport today. The secret police’s decision to blame the whole incident on possible mistaken identity did not come to me as a surprise.”

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