Human rights activist and the AAC presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has rejected the Department of State Services’ (DSS) explanation for the detention of journalist Zainab Sodiq, insisting that the agency’s claim that she was being investigated over a drone is “a hurriedly put together fable.”
In a statement shared on Thursday, Sowore alleged that Sodiq was deliberately targeted because of her work as the journalist covering his activities and not because she was found with an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
His statement comes few hours after the DSS confirmed that Sodiq was being detained at its National Headquarters in Abuja, stating that she was intercepted at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, while travelling with a drone without the required End User Certificate (EUC).
However, Sowore disputed the agency’s account, claiming that the DJI Mavic Air drone belonged to him and had been used for legitimate media coverage of elections and other public events.
According to him, he personally spoke with DSS personnel at the Lagos airport after the drone was seized and informed them that it was his property.
Sowore said he instructed Sodiq to leave the drone with security officials and continue her journey to Abuja because she was carrying his international passport, which was required to be deposited in court as part of the bail conditions imposed in his ongoing trial.
The activist alleged that preventing Sodiq from travelling with the passport was the real objective behind the operation.
According to him, delaying the delivery of the passport would have frustrated the perfection of his bail and created grounds for his return to the Kuje Correctional Centre.
Sowore further claimed that Sodiq later honoured an invitation to meet DSS officials in Abuja but was allegedly taken into custody immediately upon arrival.
He also alleged that his legal team contacted the Director-General of the DSS, Tosin Ajayi, who reportedly acknowledged that Sodiq was in the agency’s custody and initially described the matter as a routine screening related to the drone.
Sowore claimed the situation changed after he publicly disclosed Sodiq’s detention on social media.
He accused the DSS of using state institutions to intimidate journalists, activists and political critics, alleging that the detention formed part of a broader campaign of repression.
The activist also made several additional allegations against the DSS Director-General, including claims relating to his ongoing court case and the agency’s operations.
Shemariah Media has not independently verified these allegations. As of the time of publication, the DSS had not responded to Sowore’s latest claims. The agency’s most recent official statement maintains that Sodiq’s detention is connected to an investigation into the operation of a drone without the required authorisation under existing national security regulations.
The differing accounts have intensified public debate over the circumstances surrounding Sodiq’s detention, with journalists, civil society groups and human rights advocates continuing to call for transparency and due process.
Shemariah Media will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as more information becomes available.
No comments: