Police detain journalist, Fisayo Soyombo, over report on contract fraud

The founder of Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), Mr. Fisayo Soyombo, has been detained by the Nigerian Police.

The journalist is being held in Abuja after he honoured a police invitation on Monday.

His detention was in connection with a critical story on the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Joseph Egbunike.

FIJ had in August published a report wherein it alleged that Egbunike along with other police chiefs approved over N1 billion for some police transit camp projects in Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, Katsina and Kano states.

The report indicated that after a visit to the project locations by FIJ, there was nothing to show for the huge amount three years after.

FIJ in a statement signed by Damilola Ayeni confirmed that the journalist is with the Police.

The statement reads: “Fisayo Soyombo, Founder of the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ), is currently being detained at the Force headquarters, Abuja, by the police.
“Soyombo was on a long trip on November 23 when he received an SMS that read: Good Afternoon sir, this office is conducting an investigation in which your name and phone number featured, in view of this, you are to interview the Head, IGP Monitoring Unit on the 29th November, 2021 by 1000hrs at 1st Floor, Force Hqtrs, Abuja. Thanks.

“Knowing he committed no offence, he honoured the police invitation on Monday, days after returning from the trip, only to discover it was in connection to a story exposing the award of transit police camp projects that do not exist to the tune of the contract sums.”

The detained journalist had earlier on Monday posted on social media that: “I have just arrived at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to honour an invitation from the Monitoring Unit of the Inspector General of Police. They say my ‘name and phone number featured in an investigation’ they are conducting.

“The decision to come was straightforward: I am a law-abiding citizen who has committed no crime unless journalism is one. If there is no update on this handle by dusk, it means I have been unjustly detained. I will be surrendering my devices now…”