Nigerians have thrown their weight behind investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, said to be under government’s surveillance for possible arrest on Tuesday.
After Monday’s publication of the second in the three-part series of an undercover investigation by the journalist that exposed the rots within the Police and Nigerian Correctional Facility, the Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), which co-sponsored the investigation, Mr. Dayo Aiyetan, alleged there were moves to arrest and charge Soyombo for espionage.
‘So for his undercover work exposing corruption in the prisons, Nigerian government wants to arrest Fisayo Soyombo and charge him for Espionage? Shame on the government’, he tweeted very early today.
DAYO AIYETAN
@dayoaiyetan
So for his #undercover work exposing #corruption in the #prisons, #Nigerian govt wants to arrest @fisayosoyombo & charge him for #Espionage? Shame on the govt. @CPJAfrica @ChidiOdinkalu @AbdulMahmud01 @gijn @gijnAfrica @simonkolawole #JournalismIsNotACrime
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11:16 PM – Oct 21, 2019
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In reactions to this, Nigerians took to the social media to fiercely condemn the attempt.
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With a hashtag #KeepFisayoSafe, they asked government to instead protect the journalist.
Japheth Omojuwa, social media expert and political commentator, tweeted: ‘Fisayo Soyombo 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!”
Tweet here:
JJ. Omojuwa
✔
@Omojuwa
@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
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12:12 PM – Oct 22, 2019
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“Any attempt to incriminate, intimidate, harass, abduct or engage in any act of persecution of Fisayo Soyombo 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.
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‘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,” Segun Awosanya, the convener of the #EndSARS movement asserted.
Enough Is Enough Nigeria, a civic advocacy organization also joined the leagues of others on the same course, alluding to the essence of freedom for the press for Nigeria’s democracy.
‘According to information received, the personal safety of the investigative journalist, Fisayo Soyombo may be under threat. We urge the Nigerian Government to guarantee his safety.
‘These moves against future investigative stories are actually attacks by the state on democratic governance & the authority of the citizenry.
‘Courageous journalism is critical to democracy!!! Journalists in Nigeria must be allowed to work freely for the public good’, the group stated in a thread of tweet on Tuesday afternoon.
Tweet here:
EiE Nigeria
✔
@EiENigeria
According to information received, the personal safety of the investigative journalist, @fisayosoyombo may be under threat.
We urge the @NigeriaGov to guarantee his safety.#PressFreedom#KeepFisayoSafe#CashAnCarry
The Nation
www.sojworldnews.com (c) October 22, 2019
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