Nigerian Journalist Zainab Sodiq Arrested by SSS Over Drone While Covering Sowore
- The State Security Service arrested journalist Zainab Sodiq on Wednesday, July 8, according to a statement by Nigeria's ICIR
- Sodiq was detained over possession of a drone she had while reporting on activist and Sahara Reporters founder Omoyele Sowore
- Sowore accused the DSS of punishing the journalist for her coverage of his activities
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Nigerian journalist Zainab Sodiq has been arrested by the State Security Service (SSS) while on assignment covering political dissident and Sahara Reporters founder Omoyele Sowore, according to a report by the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR).
Source: Instagram
A statement confirming Sodiq's arrest was released on Wednesday, July 8. She was detained over her possession of a drone, which she had with her during her coverage of Sowore, the activist and writer who has been a recurring subject of scrutiny by Nigerian security agencies.
Sowore condemns Zainab Sodiq's arrest
Sowore responded to the news by directly implicating the SSS, also known as the Department of State Services (DSS), accusing the agency of using the journalist's detention as a form of punishment for her reporting on him.
The arrest drew immediate attention from press freedom advocates and media observers, who viewed the detention as a troubling use of security apparatus against journalists doing their work in the field.
Zainab Sodiq is a journalist whose detention over drone equipment raises questions about the legal boundaries of newsgathering tools in Nigeria, particularly for reporters covering sensitive figures or politically charged assignments. The ICIR, which broke and confirmed the story, is one of Nigeria's leading investigative journalism organisations and has a record of reporting on issues at the intersection of governance, security, and civil liberties.
No further details about the specific charges against Sodiq or the conditions of her detention had been made public at the time of reporting.
The Facebook post with details of Zainab Sodiq's arrest is below.
Source: YEN.com.gh
