Female Journalist Reportedly Taken Into DSS Custody

The Department of State Services (DSS) has reportedly detained female journalist Zainab Sodiq, who has been covering activities involving human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore.

According to reports, the incident followed the seizure of a drone belonging to Sodiq by DSS operatives while she was covering Sowore at the domestic terminal of an airport in Lagos.

It was gathered that Sodiq was later contacted and asked to travel to Abuja to recover the seized equipment from a DSS officer identified as Musa.

However, reports indicate that she became unreachable after arriving in the Federal Capital Territory to collect the drone. Her last known location was reportedly traced to the Yakubu Gowon Crescent area of Abuja.

Concerned associates were said to have made several attempts to reach the DSS officer who allegedly invited her, with initial assurances that she would be released after the process was completed.

The officer was reportedly quoted as saying that Sodiq would “soon be done” before later becoming unreachable and allegedly blocking some of the phone numbers used by those seeking information about her whereabouts.

As of the time of this report, the DSS has not issued an official statement explaining the circumstances surrounding Sodiq’s reported detention or whether she has been accused of any offence.

The development comes amid ongoing legal proceedings involving Sowore, who is being prosecuted by the DSS over social media comments in which he referred to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as “a criminal.”