Nigerians on Twitter have called on the Federal Government to ensure the safety of Fisayo Soyombo with the trend #KeepFisayoSafe. Fisayo Soyombo an award-winning investigative reporter, over an alleged attempt to arrest him after his publication of two out of his three-part investigative report on corruption in Nigeria’s criminal and justice system.
The call came on Tuesday after the mediasphere was awash with reports stating that the top hierarchy of the Nigeria Correctional Services has launched a manhunt for the roving editor and contributor to Al-Jazeera.
Soyombo, who was scheduled to speak at a workshop on fake news organised by Goethe Institute on Tuesday evening pulled out and told Tribune Online earlier that “I’ve been made aware of the Nigerian authorities’ plan to arrest me.”
Adopting the pseudonym Ojo Olajumoke, Soyombo spent two weeks in detention, five days in a police cell and eight as an inmate in Ikoyi Prison, to track corruption in Nigeria’s criminal justice system.
In the first of this three-part series entitled: “UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (I): Bribery, bail for sale… Lagos police station where innocent civilians are held and criminals are recycled” and published in The Cable and The ICIR on Monday, October 14, Soyombo uncovers how the police pervert the course of justice in their quest for ill-gotten money.
In the second of the three-part series entitled: “UNDERCOVER INVESTIGATION (II): Drug abuse, sodomy, bribery, pimping… The cash-and-carry operations of Ikoyi Prisons“, published also in The Cable and The ICIR, a week later, on Monday, October 21, Soyombo exposes “how the courts short-change the law, and the prisons are themselves a cesspool of the exact reasons for which they hold inmates.”
Amnesty International said it “is concerned about threats to the life of Fisayo Soyombo @fisayosoyombo, an investigative #Journalist whose work recently exposed injustice & human rights violations. #JournalismIsNotAcrime #PressForFreedom #KeepFisayoSafe #Nigeria”
Daughter of former Oyo State Governor, Kemi Olunloyo said: “I want journalists to do more Investigative Journalism in Nigeria” ~~ @NGRPresident @MBuhari December 2015 on the first and last known President chat @channelstv #KeepFisayoSafe #TwitterKemi11 #KemiOlunloyo #Kemitalks.”
Former Online Editor of The Nation Newspaper, Lekan Otufodunrin said: “When BBC aired its recent report on #sexforgrades, everyone, including some of our top govt officials were full of praise for the quality of investigative reports. Here is one by @fisayosoyombo on police and prisons that needs taking action not the threat of arrest. #keepFisayosafe.”
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Convener of the #EndSARS campaign, Segun Awosanya via his Twitter handle @segalink said: “The Criminal Justice System is rotten. This is no news to Nigerians and the authorities themselves and the reaction to findings of investigative journalists as well as advocates of reforms must never be belligerent. The Nigeria Correctional Service must get this! #KeepFisayoSafe.
“They (CG especially) should learn from previous advocacies and take dressing like @PoliceNG and @nigimmigration when @SIAF_NG exposed their running issues within. This is not the time to venture further into criminality by seeking to incriminate a whistleblower. #KeepFisayoSafe.
“Any attempt to incriminate, intimidate, harass, abduct or engage in any act of persecution of @fisayosoyombo will pitch the Nigeria Correction Service against the entire Nation and we will all respond effectively and adequately. Nigeria belongs to all of us & you must comply.
“The Nigeria Correction Service is a service to the people and MUST be guided in their response to feedback from the public. Exposing organized crime within the system must not be seen as an attack on anyone begging for reprisal but a path to healing. #KeepFisayoSafe
“The ‘Honorable’ Minister of Interior @raufaregbesola should call the leadership of the Nigeria Correction Service to order in this regard. The public perception of all uniformed officers in Nigeria is negative already and this must not be made worse. #KeepFisayoSafe.”
Below are other tweets by Nigerians.
"I want journalists to do more Investigative Journalism in Nigeria" ~~@NGRPresident @MBuhari December 2015 on the first and last known President chat @channelstv #KeepFisayoSafe #TwitterKemi11 #KemiOlunloyo #Kemitalks
— Dr. Kemi Olunloyo (@KemiOlunloyo) October 22, 2019
When BBC aired its recent report on #sexforgrades, everyone, including some of our top govt officials were full of praise for the quality of investigative reports. Here is one by @fisayosoyombo on police and prisons that needs taking action not threat of arrest.
— Lekan Otufodunrin (@lotufodunrin) October 22, 2019
The Criminal Justice System is rotten. This is no news to Nigerians and the authorities themselves and the reaction to findings of investigative journalists as well as advocates of reforms must never be belligerent. The Nigeria Correctional Service must get this! #KeepFisayoSafe
— SEGA L'éveilleur®🚨 (@segalink) October 22, 2019
@fisayosoyombo and other investigative journalists like him who reflect the seamy sides of our hugely flawed system must be protected, not just by the people but even by governments that are genuinely committed to making change happen! #keepfisayosafe
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) October 22, 2019
So, there are reports that @PoliceNG plans to arrest @fisayosoyombo for his undercover reports on the country’s justice system. Let’s hope this never happens because it’s going to be such a big shame on Nigeria. #Journalismisnotacrime #KeepFisayoSafe #CashAndCarryPrison https://t.co/4LPvpbmmMI
— Chinedu Asadu (@chinedu_asadu) October 22, 2019
Does this mean the lifespan of a Nigerian investigative journalist is one story? And after one story we're out? Who then remains?#KeepFisayoSafe https://t.co/yoAmODYmXy
— Kiki Mordi (@kikimordi) October 22, 2019
If the authorities arrest @fisayosoyombo then they should be already to arrest all journalist in Nigeria. Press freedom is paramount in every democratic nation. #KeepFisayoSafe pic.twitter.com/J8EZH7fg5y
— Global Times (@globaltimesng) October 22, 2019
Investigative journalist @fisayosoyombo shed light on the #CashAndCarryPrison of the prison system and corruption of the @PoliceNG
Fisayo has been threatened with arrest for doing his job.
We need to #keepfisayosafe #ENDVAJ #JournalismIsNotACrime https://t.co/q724he2l05
— #ENDVAJ (End Violence Against Journalists) (@mediahangoutng) October 22, 2019
Is it a crime to practice journalism in Nigeria?
After @fisayosoyombo
Of @thecableng
Did an undercover report on Nigeria prison
Nigeria authorities has been searching for him
Who did we offend in this country?#KeepFisayoSafe
— Hassan Abdulsalam (@ProudlyHassan) October 22, 2019
In the words of Ahmet Şık( .@sahmetsahmet ): "To silence Journalists is equivalent to silencing the people as a whole."
The world is watching!#KeepFisayoSafe
— Wole Soyinka Centre (@WSoyinkaCentre) October 22, 2019
The threats to the freedom, life and safety of Investigative journalist, @fisayosoyombo, who took it upon himself to expose the corrupt & illegal practices of top govt agencies, is unwarranted to say the least. The freedom of the press shouldn't be gagged. #KeepFisayoSafe
— ITS DONJAZZY AGAIN😉 (@DONJAZZY) October 22, 2019
If exposing corruption in the system were a crime, then @MBuhari and @ProfOsinbajo should be the first to be locked up for all the times they accused the @OfficialPDPNig govt. of embezzlement and of all the times they accused Supreme Court judges of extortion. #KeepFisayoSafe!!
— 'Kúnlé Adébàjò 🧩 (@KunleAdebajo) October 22, 2019
I've know @fisayosoyombo for more than a decade. And this is the life he chose: One of bravery, justice, and truth. @ProfOsinbajo, you've called on journalists to do investigations and fight fake news, 'Fisayo did just that. Should arrest be his reward? #keepfisayosafe pic.twitter.com/W9UUng44R0
— Máyọwà Aláìnírònú Tijani (@OluwamayowaTJ) October 22, 2019
and then